George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

I think I heard the gravamen. Senator Rice, yes, I have and, yes, I can. I have had very lengthy discussions with members of the LGBTI community and I have had lengthy discussions as well with people who take a conservative, traditional view of marriage. Among the discussions I have had with members of the LGBTI community are discussions with Australian Marriage Equality and discussions with Australians for Equality, the two principal bodies promoting the marriage equality cause. I have had several discussions with those people, as recently as yesterday, and they are not the only ones of the LGBTI community I have spoken to, but I mention them in particular because, as you would be aware, Senator Rice, as somebody who follows this issue closely, they are the two peak bodies campaigning for marriage equality.

Now, Senator Rice, we have discussed the issue to which you have referred. We have discussed all the issues relating to marriage equality and the plebiscite. One of the things I said to those spokespeople, as I say to you, is that there is now a clear and immediate path to marriage equality in Australia, and that is to submit to the judgement of the Australian people on 11 February next year a plebiscite so that they can have their say. You read the opinion polls just as closely as I do, Senator Rice, and you know—