Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Order! We still have the third reading. We're not at the conclusion of the debate.

An incident having occurred in the gallery—

Members in the public gallery, we are not at the conclusion of the debate. The Prime Minister has the call.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I ask leave of the House to move the third reading immediately.

Leave granted.

What a day. What a day for love, for equality, for respect. Australia has done it. Every Australian had their say and they said, 'It's fair. Get on with it,' and the parliament has got on with it and we have voted today for equality, for love. It's time for more marriages, more commitment, more love, more respect. We respect every Australian who has voted, those who voted yes and those who voted no. This belongs to us all. This is Australia: fair, diverse, loving and filled with respect. For every one of us, this is a great day. It belongs to every Australian. The 45th Parliament is doing its job—delivering and getting on with it. It's fair. We've done the work and we've done it together. Let's do it. Let's finalise this bill right now.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Before I call the Leader of the Opposition, I need the Prime Minister to formally move that the bill be read a third time.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a third time.

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to 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.

Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What a big day for love, because, despite the years of bigotry and hate, and despite the years of violence, lies, ignorance and fear, love has won and it's time to pop the bubbly. I'm going to keep this short and sweet, because it's time to let the bells ring and let the people sing, because love has won.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the bill be read a third time.

A division having been called and the bells being/having been rung—

For the members in the public gallery, I just say at the end of this division, there's still one procedure that needs to happen. I say to members as well, when the doors are locked and I have read the result of the division, we do need to hear from the clerk to finalise the bill. The clerk does get the last word.

As there are fewer than five members on the side of the noes in this division, I declare the question resolved in the affirmative in accordance with standing order 127. The names of the members in the minority will be recorded in the Votes and Proceedings.

Question agreed to, Mr Broadbent, Mr Katter, Mr Littleproud and Mr Pitt voting no.

Bill read a third time.