Former PM Malcolm Turnbull has described his successor Scott Morrison as being shocked at the result of the marriage equality postal survey in 2017.
In his new memoir A Bigger Picture, which is released on Monday, Turnbull recalls that he shared a flight back to Sydney from Canberra on the day the results of postal survey were announced.
“Scott was utterly deflated; he couldn’t believe his own electorate had voted ‘yes’. ‘I don’t believe this is the country that I grew up in anymore’, he complained”. Turnbull recalls in the book.
While Morrison would later announce he supported same-sex marriage because it is the law of the land, at the time of the postal survey result Turnbull says Morrison and other supporters of the no campaign were devastated by the outcome.
Fifty five per cent of respondents in Scott Morrison’s electorate of Cook voted in favour of marriage equality, with over 82% of people returning the postal ballot.
In the new book the former PM outlines the long and complex road of getting same-sex marriage legalised in Australia, revealing that at times decision were made for political gain rather than addressing the issue.
Turnbull described the achievement of marriage equality as a great reform for quality and fairness, but also a triumph of love over hate.
“We faced formidable obstacles from within my own party from those vehemently opposed to same-sex marriage but also from Labor, which saw the issue as one which they could use to split my party and bring down the government.” Turnbull wrote in the book.
Turnbull says that despite all the “ducking and dodging” his achievement is getting it done, saying it will be the most enduring achievement of his government.
The former PM also admits that the postal survey process and public debate was a very painful experience for some members of the LGBTIQ community.
Malcolm Turnbull’s A Bigger Picture is released on Monday 20th April by Grant Hardie books.
OIP Staff
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