THE HON MARK DREYFUS QC MP
SHADOW ATTORNEY-GENERAL
SHADOW MINISTER FOR THE ARTS
MEMBER FOR ISAACS
TURNBULL CONFIRMS: TAXPAYER FUNDING FOR HATE CAMPAIGN
Prime Minister Turnbull has finally come clean on one of the most shocking elements of his plan for a wasteful plebiscite on marriage equality - that taxpayer funds will be given to the no campaign to spread hate and mistruths in their attempt to stop same-sex couples getting married.
During a campaign appearance this afternoon, Prime Minister Turnbull said:
The administrative details have not been finalised but I expect the plebiscite to be very similar to the mechanism used for a referendum. So it will be very close to that, and of course, that would mean that if there were any funding made available for the publication or distribution of a yes or no case, the funding would be made on a strictly equal basis.
Malcolm Turnbull, 29 June 2016
Equal marriage opponents have already given a very clear picture as to what a no campaign would look like it would include arguments that LGBTI parents have a harmful impact on children and that equal marriage rights will somehow undermine society.
These arguments are blatantly wrong and have been comprehensively disproven. The only way the no campaign can succeed is by spreading a hateful scare campaign based on lies and division. They have already requested to suspend anti-discrimination law during their campaign that tells you all you need to know.
The deep divisions within the Liberals on this issue have become embarrassingly clear as Mr Turnbull struggles to contain the hard right of his party. Two of Mr Turnbull's own cabinet ministers Scott Morrison and Julie Bishop have refused to confirm under repeated questioning this week whether they would vote in favour of marriage equality if the plebiscite were carried.
Mr Turnbull himself has failed to rule out a deal that would allow conservatives to vote no to marriage equality if the results were split by electorate.
When the Liberals are trying to make an argument on the one hand that they are doing the honourable thing by putting marriage equality to the people, and then refusing to say whether they would vote in line with the result, it is clear they are taking the Australian people for fools.
Mr Turnbull is presiding over a party that is barely holding itself together on marriage equality and is not being honest with the Australian people.
The Labor party is delivering voters honesty and certainty. A bill for marriage equality will be the first piece of legislation introduced into the 45th parliament under a Shorten Labor Government.
You cannot get clearer than that.
WEDNESDAY, 29 JUNE 2016
