MARRIAGE EQUALITY ADVOCATE SLATES POSTAL PLEBISCITE PLAN AS "INHERENTLY RIGGED"

Veteran marriage equality advocate and just.equal spokesperson, Rodney Croome, has condemned the proposed non-compulsory marriage equality postal plebiscite as "inherently rigged".

In an article published on the Samesame.com website Mr Croome wrote,

"There will be no parliamentary oversight of the question, the campaigns for and against the proposition, or the voting procedure." 

"A non-compulsory vote also means the 30% of the electorate who are soft supporters of marriage equality are much less likely to vote."

"Another problem is that a vote run entirely through the post could favour older voters and disenfranchise younger ones, further skewing the results against marriage equality."

"The current plebiscite proposal wouldn’t just be easy to rig, it would be inherently rigged."

The latest news reports indicate a growing push from opponents of marriage equality in the Turnbull Government for a postal plebiscite.

In his article Mr Croome wrote that the LGBTI community has already overwhelmingly rejected a plebiscite under any circumstances.

"In 2016 the LGBTI community said “no” to Plebiscite Mark I."

"Our concern was that such a high profile and unnecessary public debate would have an adverse impact on the mental health of vulnerable LGBTI people, especially young people."

"This concern ran so deep 85% of LGBTI Australians said they would rather wait for marriage equality than achieve it through a plebiscite."

"The broader community also said “no” to a plebiscite because of concern about the cost and the fact politicians could ignore the result."

"Plebiscite Mark II may reduce the financial cost of a plebiscite but the human cost would remain."

For the full article go to: www.samesame.com.au/features/15335/Rodney-Croome-Postal-Plebiscite-Is-Cowards-Way-Out