Polls show Australians don’t want a plebiscite

The chances of the Labor party offering the coalition’s plebiscite plan a last minute life line seem increasingly unlikely as a new poll shows there is little public support.

The Canberra Times has reported that a new poll of almost 3000 people has revealed that two thirds of those survey think the issue should be decided by a free vote in parliament before the end of the year.

A ReachTel poll, which was commissioned Australian Marriage Equality last Thursday, found 46.2 per cent of respondents think a swift resolution on the floor of Parliament is “very important”, while 19.5 per cent believe it is “somewhat important” and only 34.3 per cent think it is “not at all important”.

Labor leader Bill Shorten has said that he’s found the majority of people he’s spoken to in the community are not in favour of the government’s plebiscite plan.

Without Labor’s support the plebiscite legislation will not be able to pass through the senate, effectively killing off any chance of the plan proceeding.

Many different concerns have been raised in relation to the proposal ranging from the negative mental health experience it may force upon LGBTI people, to the fact that plebiscites are not commonly used in Australian politics, to the $200 million cost.

Special Minister of State, Senator Scott Ryan has said that if the Labor party fails to support the government’s plan the government will focus on other issues, ruling out any ‘Plan B’ for marriagerequality during this term of government.

Senator Ryan told SKY News’ Karvelas program that the government was committed to the plebiscite pathway as that is what they had taken to the election.

OIP Staff