Robert Simms (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Macdonald for highlighting the fact that, despite the change of leader, the Liberal Party have stuck with the same deeply unpopular and divisive policies, the kinds of toxic policies that are bad for our nation and bad for our planet. They are things like inaction on climate change, things like cruelty towards asylum seekers and things like spending $160 million on a costly and divisive plebiscite on marriage equality, asking a question when we already know the answer. We know Australians support that reform.

It is interesting. When Mr Turnbull became Prime Minister, he talked a lot about new ideas and new innovations: 'There has never been a more exciting time to be an Australian,' and so on and so forth. We have heard these lines repeated ad nauseam over the last four months. But it is clear that Mr Turnbull is all sizzle and no sausage. It is clear that he is all sizzle and no sausage because, when it comes to putting the meat on the bones, when it comes to actually articulating a different policy agenda, all the Liberal Party have under Malcolm Turnbull is the same stale, Abbott-era policies as Senator Macdonald has highlighted. He is leaving the room, no doubt embarrassed by the reality of that.

In terms of this issue of a plebiscite, Mr Turnbull has made his views on this very clear. He said in a media interview to 3AW just the other day—and these comments were widely reported in the news at the time—that he favours a traditional free vote in the parliament as a way of resolving the issue of marriage equality but that, when Mr Abbott was the Prime Minister, it was determined that the matter would be put to the people through a plebiscite. That is the position that he has adopted, on the basis that it is Mr Abbott's position.

The Australian people may well ask: who is running this show? Who is running this government? Is it Mr Turnbull, or is it Mr Abbott and his conservative supporters on the backbench? Despite the fact that Mr Turnbull has articulated a view in favour of marriage equality, he seems to be completely powerless to rein in his colleagues and to deal with this issue. We saw last week the unedifying spectacle of the Liberal and National parties tying themselves in a knot over this issue, quite frankly making a meal of an entree over the issue of marriage equality, making this issue far more complex than it has to be.

We know from media reports over the last week that the numbers are now here in the parliament. For the first time, we have a majority of members of parliament in both houses who support marriage equality and want to see action on that reform. But there is one thing that is holding back progress on this issue, and that is Mr Turnbull. Because Mr Turnbull is refusing to grant his colleagues a free vote, because he is wedded to the Abbott-era policy of a deeply divisive and costly plebiscite, he is holding back progress on this issue.

The reality is the Australian people do not want a costly and divisive plebiscite on marriage equality. Just today we saw a poll that came out in Nationals-held seats that found that 63 per cent of those polled described the $160 million plebiscite as 'poor' or 'very poor' value for money. Fifty-six per cent of voters supported the parliament resolving the issue on its own. Only 28 per cent of those polled supported a plebiscite. So it seems this idea of a plebiscite on marriage equality is about as popular as its architect, Tony Abbott. It is going down like a lead balloon in the Australian community. It really is time for the Liberal Party to dump this policy. We have seen a change in leader but we are seeing a continuation of the same unpopular policies that led Mr Abbott to be repudiated so strongly by the Australian people.

The reality is that the numbers are mounting. The list of policy failures for this government is growing. It is time for the government to show some leadership and take action on this issue. The issue of marriage equality presents an easy win for Mr Turnbull. Heading into an election year, why doesn't he put it to the parliament and let the parliament decide it? There are two bills—a bill before the Senate and a bill before the House of Representatives. All he needs to do is grant a conscience vote, and we can save $160 million and get this matter done.