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

Perhaps Mr Shorten can explain why the cost of the plebiscite that he is campaigning to have is worth the expenditure of money on an issue that is on nobody's mind at all. But, Senator Pratt, evidently, unlike you, I do regard the question of marriage equality as an important question. Not only do I regard it as an important question; I actually regard it as a deeply important social and cultural issue which is best resolved by making as many Australians as possible stakeholders in the outcome and making as many Australians as possible feel that they have had their say in the outcome. And I'm very sorry, Senator Pratt, that you were one of those on your side of this chamber who, rather than progress this issue, decided to play politics with gay people's lives.