Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Leader of the Government in the Senate, representing the Prime Minister. I refer to his earlier answer in respect of the postal survey on marriage equality. Is this postal survey 'a referendum on freedoms and radical LGBTIQ sex education in schools', as Mr Lyle Shelton from the ACL has asserted?

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

No. It is a survey to determine the opinion of the Australian people on the question that is asked, and that question is: should the law be changed to allow same-sex couples to marry? That is the only question on which the Australian people are being asked their advice.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong, a supplementary question?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Brandis for that answer and I ask him a supplementary. Is the issue to be determined by this postal survey a vote on, and I quote, 'political correctness', as Senator Abetz has asserted?

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

No—and I refer to my earlier answer.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong, a final supplementary question?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I note that the Prime Minister has refused to show bipartisan support for the yes case by writing to every Australian, with Mr Shorten, in support of it. Can the minister advise whether the Prime Minister will be campaigning for the yes case, or will the only leadership in this campaign be that shown by Mr Abbott for the no case?

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

Senator Wong, honestly and truly, you talk about bipartisanship. The whole point is that this is not a partisan issue. It is not a party-political issue. That is why the Australian government is asking the Australian people for their advice, for their opinion, on what they think of what, on any view, would be a profoundly important social change. As a matter of fact, the Prime Minister has already said that he will be voting yes, and, in fact, it is the case, Senator Wong, that Mr Turnbull was a proponent of marriage law reform when Mr Shorten was an opponent of marriage law reform, just as I was a proponent of same-sex marriage when you were a public advocate against it. But, in any event, whether you are of the yes point of view or the no point of view, the decision of the High Court today means that everyone can have their say.