Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Labor will not be supporting this motion today. In opposing this motion I'd like to put on the record that Labor believe that all Australians should be afforded an opportunity to express their views as part of the public discussion about marriage equality, but to do so in a respectful and factual manner. We do not believe the Senate should become a mechanism for the condemnation of the views of individuals or organisations in this debate.

On the specifics of this motion, I would like to note that GetUp! has stated that it does not support the petition targeting Dr Pansy Lai which was uploaded over the weekend, nor did GetUp! endorse or organise it. In the context of complaints that were received in response to the petition, I understand a review was triggered, and, following the review, the petition was found to breach CommunityRun's terms and conditions and was taken down on Monday morning.

Labor have been clear about our position: we do not support a public opinion poll on peoples' relationships, in the form of either a plebiscite or a postal survey, and I note the ongoing cases before the High Court on this matter.