Coalition Senator Ian Macdonald has attempted to disrupt the debate over amendments to the marriage equality bill, all because of independent pollie Derryn Hinch’s choice of scarf.
Normal country. Normal parliament.
Shortly after issuing a wide-ranging address to the Upper House, in which he claimed the government had effectively abolished all forms of discrimination against the LGBTQI+ community, Macdonald contended that Hinch’s rainbow-coloured neckwear shouldn’t be worn in parliament.
https://twitter.com/BevanShields/status/935656947092566017
It only devolved from there.
Labor Senator Penny Wong responded to Macdonald’s claims by saying his miniature campaign against certain insignia – including the pro-marriage equality badge yesterday worn by Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson – was “unseemly and, frankly, discourteous” considering Australia’s overwhelming support for the change.
Whish-Wilson also had a dig at Macdonald’s most recent blow-up, stating that if Hinch were to remove his scarf, fellow Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young would also have to remove her rainbow-coloured dress.
Macdonald replied that he’d lend a hankie, “not to cover the dress, but for the flood of tears which will no doubt come.” That’s in clear reference to Hanson-Young’s emotive speech to the Senate on Monday.
Senator Sarah Hanson-Young begins to cry in the Senate while talking about the historic SSM bill. #auspol pic.twitter.com/8vYPGyNMpO
— Christine Vanden Byllaardt (@cvbyllaardt) November 27, 2017
For what it’s worth, the amendment Macdonald supported – which was raised by One Nation’s Pauline Hanson, and would have allowed celebrants to refuse to carry out same-sex marriages – was voted down 36 to 17.
Also, Macdonald was the same bloke who once wore hi-vis to work that one time, rendering his claims about a scarf… well, slightly naff.
https://twitter.com/littlebarda/status/935662106157899776
Again, we live in a normal country, with normal representatives.
