It looks like Australia will not spend $200 million on a non-binding vote to find out if the nation desired to allow same-sex marriage to exist within its borders. One of the main reasons? The non-binding aspect of the vote, but as well the belief that the process would harm LGBT citizens' mental health. We get our most recent news from The Sydney Morning Herald.
The same-sex marriage plebiscite is dead in the water after Labor MPs finally agreed to block the proposal in the Senate at a caucus meeting on Tuesday.
The decision casts marriage equality off into the never-never, with the Turnbull government adamant a plebiscite is the only way of achieving reform in this term of Parliament, and one Coalition MP already threatening to bring down the government if that is changed.
Labor tussled with the issue for weeks but hardened its resolve after consulting with gay and lesbian advocacy groups and mental health experts, with Opposition Leader Bill Shorten at one point declaring a public vote on same-sex marriage could lead vulnerable people to suicide.
MPs voted unanimously to oppose the plebiscite on Tuesday, with only Mr Shorten, shadow attorney-general Mark Dreyfus and marriage equality spokeswoman Terri Butler speaking on the matter. It was resolved in less than 15 minutes.
Mr Shorten later said he had not heard a good argument for the plebiscite and reiterated Labor's view that it was unnecessary, expensive and had the potential to cause mental ill health among LGBTI people.
"It is a waste of money. It will not bind Liberal MPs. It will cause potential harm to gay people and families and Australians just want us to get on with it," he said.
"Children do not need to go to school in the climate of a plebiscite and have the integrity of their parents' relationship challenged.
"I could not in good conscience recommend to the Labor Party that we support the plebiscite … the evidence became overwhelming of the harm it would cause." – The Sydney Morning Herald
What will this mean for the fight for same-sex marriage? Head over to The Sydney Morning Herald for more of its coverage. But it looks like one side will not want to budge.
It came as Nationals MP Andrew Broad threatened to bring down the government if it switched to a free vote on same-sex marriage, indicating his support for the government was "conditional" on it honouring all its election promises. – The Sydney Morning Herald
If someone knows what the next step is, please share with us.
UPDATE: Some have said that we at Instinct don't understand that the plebisite was the wrong way to go about trying to get marriage equality in Australia. Believe me, we understand being asked our desires with no guarantee it will be listened to. We have watched the debates where your politicians have curtailed answering the question if they would follow and respect the results of the plebiscite and bind their vote to those results. We understand votes that put family members against family members. We saw that happen state by state here in the US. We understand someone saying it is his way or no deal at all, ever. We have heard Turnbull saying this is the only way marriage equality would occur under his command.
We asked what the next step is because we want to know from Australians if they think a vote in parliament will occur, will be allowed, and is that the next and possibly and only step that may finally make marriage equality a reality?
h/t: – The Sydney Morning Herald
We understand you.
We understand you.
Confusion is probably coming from this statement : "If someone knows what the next step is, please share with us." Because as you already pointed out the plebiscite just was an *additional* *unnecessary* *non-binding* step.
So, there is no "next step" – there is just the "ONLY step"… and the ONLY step is for parliament to vote on marriage equality legislation in the same was as the parliament votes on all other legislation regarding human rights and related issues… in parliament.
I’m done explaining to
I'm done explaining to americans and so-called informed american gay news websites like this one… why the plebiscite is bad.
Instinct and others such as Attitude and Towleroad (Andy should know better) continue to portray opposition to the plebiscite as homophobic and bigoted.
This article from The Guardian explains it all and the next step(s).
Read it carefully.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/oct/11/marriage-equality-plebiscite-what-will-happen-after-the-senate-blocks-it
No need to explain Michael.
No need to explain Michael. We never portrayed the "opposition to the plebiscite as homophobic and bigoted." I responded to your accusations in an update to the blog. I did look back at how many times we mentioned the plebiscite EVER online and it appears it is in this article as well as two others that I wrote.
Australians Won't Have The Marriage Equality They Want For At Least Three Years.
Marriage Equality Makes Us Healthier? Gay Men Showing Better Mental Health & Well Being, No Marriage Required.
I just don't see where I / we portrayed the opposition to the plebiscite like you said I / we did.
All I asked for was clarification as to what you may think would happen next.