Janet Rice (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Brandis. The resounding vote for marriage equality announced today has been the result of the tireless campaigning by so many LGBTIQ people that has been underway in Australia for well over a decade. There have been 22 marriage equality bills introduced into the Australian parliament since John Howard, the former Prime Minister, changed the marriage law in 2004. How will the government facilitate the actual passage of legislation to reflect Australia's overwhelming vote for equality that was announced today?

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

Thank you very much indeed, Senator Rice. May I say I join you and many other members of this chamber in welcoming—indeed, in rejoicing at—the outcome of the marriage postal survey, which returned a yes vote, a little higher than I had expected, of 61.6 per cent and a participation rate of 79.5 per cent. This, on any view, was an outstanding outcome. I want to once again congratulate Senator Mathias Cormann, who was responsible for the conduct of the marriage postal survey, on an outstanding performance. The result—as somebody who, for years, has been an advocate of the yes case—gladdens me greatly.

Senator Rice, what the parliament will do now is precisely what the Prime Minister and I have promised it will do. It will facilitate the consideration of a private member's bill—in fact, it will be a private senator's bill—to give effect to the strongly-expressed wishes of the Australian people.

This is an important day in Australia's history. It is an important day in the history of human rights in Australia. It is an important day on which we acknowledge and finally strike down this barrier of discrimination against people on the grounds of their sexuality. While respecting, as I do, the conscientious beliefs of those who didn't want to see the definition of marriage changed, I, nevertheless, as I said before, welcome and rejoice in this outcome and I look forward to the passage through this parliament before the end of this year of legislation to give effect to it.

Scott Ryan (President, Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A supplementary question, Senator Rice?

Janet Rice (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Brandis, can you assure the Senate that the government will do everything in its power to ensure that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer people in Australia will enjoy freedom from discrimination, and that protections for LGBTIQ people and couples in the provision of goods and services will not be rolled back?

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

Senator Rice, I don't believe that they should be rolled back, and I think you and I have the same view on this matter. What we will do is what we said we'd do in the event of a yes vote—that is, we will facilitate debate on a private senator's bill to give effect to the decision of the Australian people that the law should be changed to allow same-sex couples to marry.

Scott Ryan (President, Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A final supplementary question, Senator Rice.

Janet Rice (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Brandis, if the parliament can get the reform enshrined in legislation before the end of our last sitting week, can loving couples, regardless of their gender or sexuality, be assured they will be able to marry and that we'll be able to hear wedding bells by Christmas?

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

Senator, I'm not in a position to tell you the date of commencement of the amendments to the Marriage Act should the parliament pass them, though I would like to see the amending act proclaimed as soon as possible, and I hope that will be before Christmas, and I expect it will be.