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

Thank you, Senator Hinch. Obviously what you are referring to is the government's intention to give all Australians a say on the question of the definition of marriage. Now, Senator Hinch, might I remind you that late last year the Australian Labor Party and the Greens and some of the crossbench, including, I'm sorry to say, you, voted to stop the Australian people having their say on this issue. Had you not done that, Senator Hinch, on 11 February, six months ago this Friday, there would have been a plebiscite. From all of the opinion polls and empirical evidence, we have every reason to believe that that plebiscite would have returned a resounding yes vote.

I believe in marriage equality and I know you do too. I regret and I lament the fact that the Senate rejected the government's legislation late last year, which would resulted, six months ago, in this issue being resolved. Six months ago, this would have been behind us. Now, Senator Hinch, what the government is going to do is present the plebiscite bill to the Senate again. We hope that you, Senator Hinch, and others on the crossbench will reconsider their positions, because I do not believe that on all social questions, particularly vexed social questions like the meaning of marriage, politicians know best; I don't. I believe that marriage is something about which we who have the privilege to sit in this chamber have no greater wisdom and no greater insight than every man and woman in Australia, which is why we want to give them a say.