LGBTI community advocates have welcomed the Greens' decision to vote against enabling legislation for a marriage equality plebiscite and have called on the Labor Party and cross bench senators to follow the Greens' lead.

 

Spokesperson for national LGBTI lobby group, just.equal, Ivan Hinton-Teoh, said,

 

"I congratulate the Greens on prioritising the aspirations and interests of the LGBTI community by opposing a marriage equality plebiscite."

 

"Earlier this month the largest LGBTI community survey of its kind ever conducted found the LGBTI community is united against a plebiscite with opposition running at 85%."

 

"A key concern of LGBTI Australians is that a plebiscite will be a platform for hate and that it will not actually lead directly to marriage equality."

 

"I call on Labor and cross bench senators to follow the Greens' lead so that a plebiscite is blocked and we can have a free vote in Parliament instead."

 

Meanwhile, Mr Hinton-Teoh dismissed claims by Liberal MP, Trevor Evans, that LGBTI community representatives are more concerned with who takes credit for marriage equality than getting it done.

 

"Our concern is not which party achieves marriage equality but only to avoid plebiscite and have a free vote instead."

 

"We would be over the moon if the Coalition Government allowed a free vote and marriage equality was achieved under its watch."

 

Earlier this week the co-chair of the Irish "Yes Equality" marriage equality referendum campaign, Dr Grainne Healy, wrote to all federal MPs and senators asking them not to support a plebiscite because the Irish referendum had been "brutal". 

 

A copy of Dr Healy's letter can be found here: https://ymlp.com/znGtba