Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

Australia, we are going to make marriage equality a reality in minutes. The Australia of tomorrow begins with what we do today. At long last, LGBTIQ Australians will be equal under the law. Our law will speak for a modern Australia, inclusive and fair. Those of us in parliament, who are privileged to serve, understand that we do so with humility, the humility to recognise that the passage of this law does not, in essence, belong to us, but the credit for the passage of this law belongs to all Australians.

I say to those who voted no: I recognise that now is the time for healing, to put this debate behind us. And when this law is passed, we should declare that we are no longer a nation of people who voted no or people who voted yes—we are simply Australians, one and all. I say to LGBTIQ Australians in particular: you have given us a gift. When this parliament passes the marriage equality law, it will not be a gift from us to LGBTIQ Australians. Equality is never a gift to be given. Equality is an inalienable birthright of every Australian, and this equality is long overdue. The gift that LGBTIQ Australians have given all of us is that when we are a nation that includes all of our people and values all relationships and all families then we are a better nation altogether.

So as it is written that 'there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens', it is now a time to heal, a time to build, a time to laugh, a time to embrace, a time to love and now, at last, a time for marriage equality.

See this speech in context