Senator Eric Abetz and the Australian Christian Lobby have dismissed new estimates from PricewaterhouseCoopers that the “true cost” of a marriage plebiscite would exceed $500 million.
PwC have estimated that a plebiscite would cost $525 million, much higher than initial estimates of around $160 million. PwC’s costing included $281 million for time spent voting, $66 million for campaigns, $158 million to conduct the voting process and $20 million in mental health support for up to 50,000 LGBTIQ Australians.
Conservative Senator Eric Abetz told ABC’s AM program that PwC’s modelling is “a ‘study’ in inverted commas with an outcome that was sought by those doing it.”
Senator Abetz criticised PwC’s inclusion of a time cost, which he describes as “not an actual financial cost but just something forgone”, labeling the analysis as “bizarre”.
A spokesperson for the Australian Christian Lobby also criticised PwC’s report, saying the organisation is not neutral in this debate having shown public support for marriage equality.
“These costings fail to take into account the value of a people’s vote,” The ACL spokesperson said.
“It is valuable to democracy and valuable to the Australian people who mostly support the plan.”
The ACL spokesperson also believes that PwC have failed to consider the cost of the “nearly 20 times” marriage equality has been raised in parliament in recent years.
“Parliamentary time, committees and inquiries are very expensive.”
Greens step up calls for free vote in Parliament
The Australian Greens have also responded to the costing, continuing their calls to dump the plebiscite and allow a free vote in federal Parliament.
Greens sexuality spokesperson Senator Robert Simms says the PwC report should be the nail in the coffin of the plebiscite plan.
“How can a prime minister who promised to get our national economy back on track proceed with such a flagrant waste of tax payer money?”
“The human cost of this plebiscite would also be enormous with the report showing the mental health of LGBTI Australians would also be adversely affected.”
Western Australian Greens MLC Lynn MacLaren has joined her voice with her federal colleagues, expressing concern for the mental wellbeing of LGBTI Australians.
“US research showed that the mental health of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people suffered during State referendums on marriage equality. Impacts on mental health included increases in anxiety and other mood disorders and increases in alcohol-use disorders,” Ms MacLaren said.
Ms MacLaren says this increase in demand for mental health services was also reflected during Ireland’s referendum.
“The last thing LGBTI Australians need is for homophobic campaigners to be allowed a bigger stage than ever before to voice their views,” Ms MacLaren continued.
“A plebiscite represents just another way for the Government Ministers to allow their personal views to influence important decisions that they should be making on behalf of the whole country.”
“They need a reality check and they need to recognise that marriage is the fundamental human right of all Australians.”
OIP Staff
Edit (12:24pm):- Added comments from Lynn MacLaren MLC
