Jordon Steele-John (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

This is not my first speech. I speak to this chamber tonight overwhelmingly filled with happiness. Yesterday, at 10 o'clock, Australians voted for equality. They voted for justice and they voted for love, and I am just so thrilled that they did so in such overwhelming numbers.

I think any statement in this chamber would be remiss if it omitted to thank the thousands of campaigners across the country who worked so hard to make it possible—those who doorknocked, those who phone banked, those who worked on social media and those who had conversations with their mums and dads and friends. Sometimes those conversations were deeply uncomfortable, but they stepped up. They understood what was at stake and they worked to ensure that we had a resounding yes—and I cannot offer them a more profound congratulations than the one I do today. You made sure that this country acted and joined so much of the rest of the world in saying, 'Love is love is love is love.'

However, this happiness is tempered with a sense of disappointment inasmuch as, although I am thrilled that this chamber will now debate and decide and, God willing, pass marriage equality, the months of campaigning were not necessary. It was not necessary to seek the opinion of every Australian on the fundamental human rights of their fellow citizens. It was not necessary to subject thousands of fellow Australians to bigotry and hatred and abuse. It was not necessary. The tears weren't necessary. The fear wasn't necessary. The effort wasn't necessary. The self-justification in the face of those who have already brought such havoc in people's lives was not necessary.

It was brought about because of what can only be named as the most profound act of political cowardice that this country has seen in many, many decades. It was an abdication of leadership by this federal government on a scale which has scarcely been seen in history. And, although I am deeply moved, and was deeply moved, by contributions such as those made by Senator Smith and those made by Senator Wong, I cannot speak tonight without thinking how this debate may have played out, how sooner we might have reached this blessed moment in our history, if all sides of politics had shown more leadership at different points in time. It is very sad that it was, in fact, the people of Australia who had to show leadership rather than those within this chamber and in the other place. For every single one of us, if, on reflection, we can see that, at some point in time, we might have spoken more strongly or acted with more purpose to convince colleagues in this place that this was a reform that was needed, and if we find that we could have done more as parliamentarians to spare our LGBTIQ friends and family members the horrendous experience of the last few months, then we should, in our private capacities, do what we can to offer our apology.

Having said that, I would now like to turn, on a personal note, to a couple of friends of mine back in WA who have campaigned on this issue for the last couple of months. Before I was unexpectedly catapulted into this place, I was working with a group of community members to try and get our local council, Rockingham council, to make its support clear for marriage equality. Of course, this moment that we arrive at now comes on the back of decades of campaigning not just by individuals or wonderful organisations such as Australian Marriage Equality but by unions, businesses and local governments, who, though it was not within their power to legislate, recognised that it was within their power to speak. And so they spoke. That's what I was dedicating my time to before I ended up here. So I would like to take this opportunity to extend my thanks and congratulations to every single member of MMERIT, Motion for Marriage Equality in Rockingham: It's Time, particularly to Marnie and Honor, who got engaged a couple of weeks before I ended up here and will now be able to turn that wonderful moment of happiness into something which is recognised under Australian law.

I would also add that I am very aware that, although this is a wonderful moment, a moment of celebration, as it should be, there is a real need to recognise that this is not the end of the journey when we think of LGBTIQ rights in Australia. So many have contributed—and I want to thank Senator Rice and Senator Siewert for their incredible contributions to this debate and join with Senator Sterle in proclaiming the hope that the debate over the next couple of weeks, however long it goes on for, turns into a celebration of the most wonderful aspects of our community. I hope we spend the next few weeks—but as quickly as we can—speaking to the better angels of the Australian nature.

I would also like to add to that I think it is important that, when this debate is over and this reform is law, we recognise that it is not the end of the road, that the struggle for equality does not always go forward. And so it is, and remains, important that we who have fought for this reform, and that we who have achieved this reform, now safeguard this reform and ensure that our LGBTIQ community members are protected in all aspects of their lives. The Greens have always been with the community. I'm sure there are people listening tonight, and I would like to say to you directly that we are still with you, that we are still here for you and that we will always fight with you. I thank the chamber for its time.