The government’s proposed marriage plebiscite has been delivered a fresh blow with openly gay Liberal senator Dean Smith declaring he will not vote for it.
Freedom of speech does not mean you can say anything to anyone, regardless of the damage it does – an important consideration in the debate over a same-sex marriage plebiscite.
The government is “approaching this term with optimism”, according to the governor-general’s speech opening parliament. This is good to hear, because a more pessimistic character than Malcolm Turnbull…
Ministers of religion who support marriage equality would be able to challenge the Marriage Act in the High Court. They would stand a good chance of winning.
Former Greens leader Bob Brown has said the door should be kept open for a plebiscite if that is the only way of achieving same-sex marriage in the foreseeable future.
Federal MPs reassemble in Canberra on Monday ahead of Tuesday’s opening of parliament, with the government talking up what the Coalition used to call a budget emergency and Labor keeping maximum pressure…
The government’s plebiscite on same-sex marriage is unlikely to get off the ground, with the Greens announcing they will vote against its establishment.
Bill Shorten has proposed specific changes to the budget’s controversial superannuation reforms, which have been under attack from the conservatives in the Coalition ranks.
As the government hints the marriage equality plebiscite may be delayed until 2017, calls intensify for the parliament to legislate on the issue instead. So what is parliament’s role here?
Malcolm Turnbull’s plebiscite on same-sex marriage has run into new problems, with the Australian Electoral Commission recommending it should be delayed until next year.
Tiernan Brady was the political director of the 'yes' campaign during the Irish referendum on same-sex marriage. He is in Australia to help advise local advocates.
Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity