The groundwork is being laid to delay the ultimate delaying tactic — the same-sex marriage plebiscite.
Barnaby Joyce this morning used horrific revelations of abuse of children in juvenile detention to suggest that the plebiscite might not happen as quickly as we would like. He’s not the first to suggest as much — Malcolm Turnbull did so last week as well on 7.30, though he didn’t have so topical an excuse.
The royal commission into the abuse of children in juvenile detention should be a top priority, but the government can walk and chew gum at the same time, and nothing should prevent both matters from being undertaken quickly.
Before taking the leadership, Turnbull warned his party that if this matter wasn’t dealt with quickly, it would linger and be a continual distraction for the government. His words then were arguing against a plebiscite, but ring true now of the conservative push to delay the plebiscite. Cory Bernardi and Eric Abetz tried to use the election result (which turfed many same-sex marriage opponents out of Parliament) as some sort of need for the government to reassess its priorities. Now Joyce is finding new excuses to delay the inevitable.
Attorney-General George Brandis said on Sunday that, subject to AEC advice and passing legislation for it, the plebiscite could be held before the end of the year or early next year. If the divisive and expensive plebiscite is the only way, the government has an obligation to stick to this timetable, and tell us when exactly it will be held as soon as possible.
Of course, there is a way to deal with same-sex marriage that would take a minimal amount of time and effort on the part of Australia’s parliamentarians. The government could simply allow a free vote to take place. It’d mean parliamentarians would have to vote only once, as opposed to once to allow a plebiscite, and again to implement it (not counting the cost to the public purse of a plebiscite). But this has never been about dealing with the issues quickly and efficiently. On same-sex marriage, the government is stalling.
Throughout Australia, the right-wing governments and their supporters are total rat-sh+t!! I am still in shock after the 4 Corners program last night, and now we get these same lunatics using these unspeakable events to delay SSM.
Who the hell voted for any of these putrid politicians? You should all hang your heads in collective SHAME, SHAME, SHAME!!
It appears the same sex marriage lobby got their wish, the government will avoid having the plebiscite so they can go back to voting it down over and over in parliament. Congratulations, you won, or something.
The problem is that the plebiscite will not be binding on the Parliament, and a free vote will follow.
The number of MPs voting against SSM will likely be very much the same whether the vote is before or after the plebiscite. If it can’t get up now it won’t after the plebiscite.
Such a WOFTAM. Have a parliamentary vote. If it doesn’t pass now, it will come back until it does. $160M+ for a plebiscite is a most extraordinary waste.
Worse still, it’s a chance for the bigots to come out of the woodwork and sow division in the community. Just do it.
This Coalition has known since the Abbott days that the plebiscite was to happen THIS YEAR! Brandis is nothing but incompetent if he still hasn’t got the legislation ready to put before parliament. Can’t be that hard. Gosh, yesterday we didn’t know about the horrific abuse in the NT kid’s gaol system, but hey presto! Today we have a Royal Commission. Give me a break!
Of course Jethro can chew and walk gum.
Ah, but he think & breathe simultaneously? I think that we should be showed…