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

I apologise. He is wedding himself to this toxic former Prime Minister Tony Abbott plan, rather than allowing a free vote here in the parliament to deliver marriage equality. But, really, the way that he has approached that issue is emblematic of the way he has approached a range of issues affecting LGBTI Australians.

Let us consider the approach to the Australian Christian Lobby. I understand that Mr Turnbull's Treasurer, Mr Morrison, will be speaking at the ACL's conference this coming weekend, sharing the rostrum with bigots and homophobes. These are people who express some of the most profoundly offensive views, and are totally out of step with mainstream Australia, yet we have a senior figure in the Turnbull government going along and sharing the rostrum with these people. There are people speaking at this event who want to criminalise homosexuality. They actually go around the world and advocate for that policy position. Does Mr Turnbull really think that that is a view shared by mainstream Australia? Most Australians would be horrified by that policy position and horrified to see Mr Morrison legitimising that kind of hate lobby group—and that is all the ACL are. They do not represent mainstream Australia—