While we were in Greece, we met up with a few (straight) Aussies and one of them asked my husband and me what we thought of the plebiscite on marriage equality the Coalition Government was hoping to introduce to screw over Australia’s gay and lesbians.
The conversation got a little heated but not to the point of trading blows. The sticking point seemed to be that ‘if the Australian public voted yes in the plebiscite, then the MPs and the Senators would have to vote the same way.’
Of course, how often do politicians do what the public want them to do?
Whose Opinion Matters More?
MPs and Senators have not been shy about speaking their mind on the topic of marriage equality and some have stated they will vote with their ‘conscience’, regardless of the outcome of the plebiscite. A Liberal Senator from my home state was one such honourable member.
Of course this is disappointing but the more talk there is of a plebiscite – a discussion that’s had another resurgence thanks to the idiotic suggestion that it should be a postal vote – the more the idea of the plebiscite gets validated.
Former PM Tony Abbott’s proposal to hold a plebiscite on marriage equality was nothing more than a stalling tactic, designed to shove the topic off the Coalition agenda and delay making a ‘tough’ decision.
If you’re not aware, a plebiscite is a non-binding vote on a particular subject. This is unlike a referendum which changes the Constitution. (Ireland had to go through this to pass marriage equality, while former-PM John Howard merely had to change the Marriage Act.)
A plebiscite can be held on anything to gauge the public’s mood, whether it be marriage equality, conscription, the anthem or whether people should always wear funny hats.
I admit it would take a particular arrogant government to go against the will of the people if there were such an overwhelming majority (though support for marriage equality is over 70% now so how much more majority do you need?).
However, the fact is a plebiscite is non-binding means the MPs and Senators can do whatever the hell they want – and vote whichever way they think will be ‘best for Australia’.
This gets us back to the point of the plebiscite in the first place.
Aren’t Politicians Meant to Do the Heavy-Lifting?
If they’re going to vote whichever way the voice (or voices) in their head tells them to, then there should only be a free vote in parliament.
Meanwhile, members of the Government are doing all they can to muddy the issue so the public turns around and pleads to have a plebiscite after all. At which point they’ll have wasted millions of dollars and there’s the very real chance they’ll ignore the result.
More time will pass, conservatives will say they’ve dealt with the issue (until the next change of government), and I’ll celebrate another wedding anniversary in a country that doesn’t recognise my marriage.
If the plebiscite does go ahead, I will, of course, vote, but I won’t be holding my breath that a) they’ll act on the results or b) act on them in a timely manner.
If the government isn’t able to put forward with an agenda that doesn’t require a massive opinion poll, then what’s the point in them being there?
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