The Greens announced this morning that they will bring forward a Senate debate on the party’s marriage equality bill next month.
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young announced the party will use its allotted Senate time on June 18 to start debate on a private member’s bill to legalise same-sex marriage she already has before parliament.
They’ve also set November 12 for a Senate vote on the bill. This will not only get a vote in before parliament rises for summer, but will prevent the issue of marriage equality becoming a “political football” next year during election, as Tony Abbott‘s sister Christine Forster warned. Nice to see she still supports his political aspirations even if he doesn’t support her marital ones.
The push to catch up with the world and legalise gay marriage has been raging for years, but has reached new intensities recently with Ireland voting yes to marriage equality by changing the referendum, and petitions for a similar referendum in Australia.
Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull this morning said Australia is the “odd one out” on same-sex marriage, citing the fact that most Western nations – including Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and parts of the United States – now recognise it.
And with Wayne Swan admitting he “was wrong” about his previously negative views on marriage equality, we’re now an estimated 4 votes away from a 76 majority in the Senate to pass legislations.
We can feel it, people. The tides have almost turned. Get ready.
Time for Australia and our Parliament to embrace marriage equality. Congratulations Ireland
— Bill Shorten (@billshortenmp) May 23, 2015
Photo by Torsten Blackwood for Getty Images
