Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On Saturday, 6 June, in my local paper the Bendigo Advertiser, 21 small businesses had got together and jointly funded an ad. Now, it was after the sitting week, so some here might have assumed it was a thankyou letter to the Prime Minister for the Small Business Package, or to the parliament, thanking them for the changes. Far from it. The ad that was in the paper that was taken out by the 21 small businesses was in support of marriage equality. Twenty-one small businesses in my electorate, a country electorate with a regional town, got together and funded an ad calling on all of us to support marriage equality. These small businesses included The Dispensary, Jools for Jim and Robe. It was the idea that a young cafe owner, Jays, of Cortille, decided that, just like big businesses around Australia getting together to show their support for marriage equality, so should small businesses. It has sparked a wave of support. Over that long-weekend these small businesses were in turn supported by customers. People were going in and congratulating them on taking this public stance.

It is time for this parliament to get behind the people in our communities calling for marriage equality. It is time that this parliament had a free vote so that every single MP can do what I am doing and support their local small businesses. I congratulate Jays and the small business community of my electorate.