Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Families and Payments) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on this matter of public importance—the failure of the Turnbull government to clearly outline its position on public funding of campaigns in the proposed plebiscite on marriage equality. We know that the Turnbull government is hopelessly split on this issue of marriage equality, on the plebiscite, and now on public funding for the plebiscite campaign. This split was aptly described by Phillip Coorey in today's Australian Financial Review as a 'brewing civil war'. As the Australian Financial Review story explains, the personal accusations are flying as to just what the Prime Minister has promised on funding for the plebiscite. Whether you see this as a civil war or an unholy stoush, it is obvious to everyone that the Turnbull government is hopelessly divided. With the right wing of the Liberal Party yet again flexing its muscle, reminding Mr Turnbull of the tenuous hold he has on his party leadership, Senator Abetz telegraphed his warnings to the Prime Minister on ABC Radio. Senator Abetz said:

I wanted to flag my concern up front straight away that this idea that somehow you can have a proper plebiscite without funding for the 'yes' and 'no' cases would not be the sort of plebiscite that was envisaged by the party room when we decided on it.

…   …   …

Ultimately the plebiscite was a party room decision and I trust that this will remain a party room decision.

And I trust that Cabinet will ensure that the views of the party room are determined and that the party room is not steamrolled.

There are very conflicting accounts of just what was decided about public funding when it was thrashed out at a six-hour coalition party room debate in August last year.

There are also conflicting views on just what Mr Turnbull told 20 of Australia's church leaders when they sought $10 million to fund a 'no' campaign. Church leaders are adamant that the Prime Minister offered to fund both sides of the campaign when they met him in Sydney on 12 February this year. A spokesman for the Archbishop of Sydney, Glenn Davies, said that the outcome of the meeting was 'unambiguous'. The spokesman went on to say:

It is the Archbishop's clear recollection that the Prime Minister, in words that were unambiguous, stated that funding would be available to both sides on a similar basis to the republic referendum, though the exact amount was not discussed.

The promise was later raised at a smaller meeting with [Attorney-General George] Brandis in March, who then asked what funding was appropriate, to which the Archbishop replied: the same amount as in 1999, CPI adjusted.

So that would be $10 million plus interest to fund the 'no' campaign. But just when you think that there will be public funding, along comes Senator Brandis, who stresses that the government wants to minimise the cost to taxpayers. But, while the Prime Minister's staff check their notes to see what Mr Turnbull did promise to the church leaders, the debate continues to fester.

It is taxpayers' money we are talking about here. It is time for Mr Turnbull to come clean on his plans for the marriage equality plebiscite. He continues to deny a vote in parliament; instead, clinging to the plebiscite that was foisted upon him by Mr Tony Abbott and his supporters—a plebiscite that is going to cost taxpayers at least $160 million; a plebiscite that now could see further tens of millions of dollars spent on a divisive campaign. If we cut to the heart of what we are talking about: tens of millions of dollars of taxpayers' funds to be spent to promote harmful arguments—arguments that will send a message to young gay, lesbian, transgender, bisexual people that there is something wrong with them; arguments that will send a message to kids growing up with same-sex parents that there is something wrong with their family.

Mr Turnbull supports the plebiscite because he lacks any conviction. Yet again on the issue of public funding for the campaigns, we see that he stands for nothing. He has become beholden to the right wing of his own party, who are seeking to delay the march towards equality. It is time to come clean and reveal the details of the secret meetings and backroom deals—or, even better, to abandon plans for this divisive, harmful, costly and non-binding plebiscite and allow a free vote in parliament.

Alex Gallacher (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We shall now proceed to the consideration of documents.