The Greens have called on Labor to immediately and completely rule out supporting a harmful and divisive equal marriage plebiscite.

The Labor party has yet to formally indicate whether or not they will support the government’s plebiscite legislation and the party has said it won’t consider the issue until early next month when their next caucus meeting is scheduled.

The Greens senator Janet Rice has said the party should make their opposition clear now.

“Time and time again, we’ve heard Labor MPs declare their opposition to a plebiscite on marriage equality ,” said Senator Rice, the Australian Greens LGBTIQ spokesperson.

“Labor has been dragging its feet on this issue but now appears open to talking with the government to allow what Mr Shorten himself has described as a “wasteful divisive plebiscite” and “$200 million taxpayer-funded opinion poll on the merit” of LGBTIQ relationships.

Senator Rice said the Labor party should not be meeting with the government and entertaining ideas about how the plebiscite might work.

“There negotiation should not be over the details of a plebiscite, but how we can get a free vote in the Parliament.

“Labor must completely rule out a wasteful, divisive plebiscite.” Senator Rice said.

The Greens are not the only political voice calling on the Labor party to make a decisive declaration. Former Prime Minister John Howard recently appeared on the ABC’s 7:30 and said the Labor party would declare their position rather than dragging out the issue.

OIP Staff