Independent Senator Jacqui Lambie has outlined her plan for a super-plebiscite at the next election and she’s says it’s an idea Pauline Hanson supports too.
In the wake of the defeat of the government’s legislation to hold a plebiscite on marriage equality Senator Lambie took to Twitter and said the senate had killed off “people power” by not passing the plebiscite legislation.
Yesterday Senator Lambie was speaking to ABC radio and said the government should address marriage equality, indigenous constitutional recognition, and euthanasia at the same time.
The Tasmanian senator said she’d discussed the idea with One Nation leader Pauline Hanson who was also supportive of the idea.
“We’re talking now about putting a bill through so we have dates and we have times, so we can get this bill and take the vote at the next election and also looking at reconciliation and euthanasia for those that are terminally ill,”
During Tuesday’s debate on the plebiscite legislation several politicians described the government’s decision to hold a plebiscite as an abrogation of parliament’s responsibilities.
Senator Lambie told ABC radio that we should have more plebiscites and referendums to address important issues.
During the debate over the plebiscite Senator Lambie said she supported the idea but thought it should have been put to the people at an election.
Senator Lambie said she was opposed to any form of discrimination against LGBTI people but saw marriage as a sacred Christian institution.
“When it comes to marriage, I consider it a sacred Christian tradition between a man and a woman, and as a Christian I would feel discriminated against if my sacred religious tradition were interfered with and changed by politicians.” Senator Lambie told parliament.
Senator Lambie said if a plebiscite was held and showed Australian’s wanted marriage equality she would vote in favour of changing the marriage laws, but without a plebiscite or referendum she would have to base her vote on her own convictions and oppose any change.
” I would vote according to my conscience on this matter. I am sorry if my religious views have offended the LGBTI community but, just as non-Christian religious traditions are expected to be respected by all Australians, I would like my sacred Christian traditions respected as well.”
Senator Lambie said those who raise concern about how a plebisicte campaign might have negative effects on the mental health of LGBTI people were attempting to blackmail the Australian public.
During the debate Senator Hanson said she had no opposition to people of the same sex being in relationships, but said she would prefer it if civil unions were established for unions that did not involve both a man and a woman.
Senator Hanson said she would vote in favour of marriage equality if a plebiscite or referendum clearly showed support among the Australian people, but shared that her personal belief was that marriage should only be the union a man and a woman.
The One Nation leader said she’d met many gay people who did not want to get married, and described those wanting to marry as a “minority within a minority”.
“What are the numbers who want to marry? I have spoken to a lot of gay couples. They do not want to marry; they are not interested in it. So here we have a minority who are pushing their views onto the majority of Australians.
Senator Hanson said gay couples could show their commitment without getting married, noting that she herself had not had a positive experience of marriage.
“How many people are we actually talking about? If you truly love someone, do you really need to have a certificate that says you are married? That commitment can be made to anyone. How you feel about a person comes from your heart. You do not need to have it defined to have it justified.
“Besides, I will tell you now: I have been married twice. It is not all it is cracked up to be. It is not as fantastic as everyone thinks it might be.” Senator Hanson said.
Senator Hanson said that parliament should act in the interests of the majority of people.
“I am sick and tired of adhering to the minorities in this country. Let’s look at what the majority wants. That is what it is all about.”
