Western Australian senator Dean Smith is one of four senators who’ve put their hand up to become the next President of the Senate. Alongside Senator Smith, senators David Fawcett, and veteran senator Ian MacDonald have also nominated, as has current Special Minister of State Scott Ryan. Tasmanian Senator David Bushby, who had been tipped to […]
Yesterday the government’s proposed plan for marriage equality was defeated in the Upper House, with 33 votes against the bill and 29 in favour. High profile proponents for marriage equality without a plebiscite, Australian Marriage Equality & Australians For Equality have welcomed the end of the public vote. “The majority of Australians and parliamentarians back […]
The Turnbull government’s legislation for a plebiscite on marriage equality has reached the Australian senate with a long list of politicians lining up to speak about the proposal. Special Minister of State Scott Ryan told parliament that the suggestion that the debate around the plebiscite would be intemperate He says the prospect of “intemperate debate” […]
Scott Ryan, the Special Minister of State charged with delivering the government’s marriage plebiscite, has dismissed calls for a free vote on the issue. Despite the legislation for a plebiscite facing a certain death once it reaches the senate, many of the Turnbull government’s MP’s are adamant that there is no way the issue will […]
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 […]
Representatives of several LGBTI groups met with Attorney General George Brandis earlier today to discuss the government’s approach to marriage equality. The Turnbull government has vowed that a non-binding national plebiscite is the only option for the issue of marriage equality to be addressed before the next federal election despite recent polls showing public support […]
Labor’s Shadow Attorney General Mark Dreyfus and Assistant Shadow Minister for Equality Terri Butler have met with Attorney General George Brandis and Special Minister for State Scott Ryan to find out more about the government’s plebiscite plan. The government needs the Labor Party’s support to pass the legislation to run the plebiscite, without their support […]
