The Australian Financial Review has reported that Opposition Leader Bill Shorten will recommend that the Labor party block the government’s proposed plebiscite legislation introduced by the Prime Minister this morning.
Labor are yet to officially announce how they will vote, though Shorten and other members of Opposition have expressed concerns over the cost and potential harm to the LGBTIQ+ community that a public vote would cause.
“Every piece of expert advice tells us young Australians who are gay are more likely to contemplate suicide and more likely to take their own lives,” Shorten said in Parliament this week.
“The idea of young people, perhaps yet to come out, seeing the legitimacy of their identity debated on the national stage. That is not an ideal inflicted on any citizen when we have a better path.”
The Nick Xenophon Team, Derryn Hinch and The Greens have already indicated they will vote against plebiscite legislation in the Senate. Greens leader Richard Di Natale has called on Mr Shorten to announce their opposition to the plebiscite now in light of the bill’s introduction to Parliament today.
“Pull out the plug, end it and send a very clear message … that Labor will join with the Greens and won’t support it,” Di Natale said.
“Rather than playing silly politics, what you’re actually doing is you’re hurting the community.”
The Opposition Leader was absent for the bill’s introduction in the House of Representatives today, heading to appointments in Canada. Labor is expected to make a decision in three weeks time.
