Andrew Giles (Scullin, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Love is love. It does not discriminate, and neither should we in this place. It is unconscionable and also, I am glad to say, unsustainable for this parliament to stand in the way of marriage equality. In saying this I want to acknowledge the work over many years of activists in the community. They have won the case with the Australian people: 72 per cent of Australians, according to the Liberal Party pollster, support marriage equality. They have demonstrated through courage, particularly some years ago, the power of hope—

Ms Markus interjecting—

the power of love, I say to the member opposite, over fear—the currency of this government and its Prime Minister. I say to these activists in the community, the millions of Australians who are passionate about this issue, that we will win this case in this parliament too. Within a hundred days of a Shorten Labor government we will see marriage equality through a government bill. But why should we wait? Why should people remained second-class citizens until then? Less than equal must never be acceptable. I say this to members opposite: in this debate it is not all views that should be respected, it is all people.