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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2016/oct/11/labor-expected-to-lock-in-opposition-to-marriage-equality-plebiscite-politics-live
The article has changed 18 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Labor expected to lock in opposition to marriage equality plebiscite – politics live | Labor expected to lock in opposition to marriage equality plebiscite – politics live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 11.18pm BST | |
| 23:18 | |
| Innovation and nursing. What could be better? | |
| Ever vigilant, Mike Bowers has noticed that when the prime minister is feeling confident, he does this foot thing on the podium. Sometimes photographers see a lot more than the rest of us. | |
| 11.10pm BST | |
| 23:10 | |
| We are expecting Labor to block the plebiscite bill, which would mean it is dead in the water. But the bill remains on the parliamentary program for debate today in the house and tomorrow in the senate. So if Labor rolls out of caucus with the expected “NO”, will the government withdraw the legislation? | |
| 10.58pm BST | |
| 22:58 | |
| National MP Andrew Broad to withdraw support for government if there is a parliamentary vote on marriage | |
| National MP Andrew Broad has just told me he would withdraw support for the government if there is a parliamentary vote on marriage without a plebiscite. | |
| We must honour our election commitments. The choice between the Coalition and Labor was clear in the election campaign. We promised a plebiscite, Labor promised a conscience vote. | |
| Broad will not say whether that withdrawal means he will withdraw support for all legislation but he rejects a suggestion he would sit on the crossbench. | |
| I’m a Nat! | |
| He does say that if the plebiscite goes ahead, he will vote the same way as his electorate, rather than the same way as the national outcome. | |
| For me not to vote how they decide would cheapen their vote. | |
| Broad says he trusts the Australian people to have a respectful debate. Broad received 64 letters on the subject, handwritten and not form letters. He said 32 were supportive of the change and 32 were in support of the status quo. | |
| They were very respectful. | |
| Updated | |
| at 11.01pm BST | |
| 10.50pm BST | |
| 22:50 | |
| Marriage Act amendments exposure draft | |
| These are the key points on the draft amendment released by George Brandis: | |
| 1. The definition of marriage would change: The definition of marriage in s 5 of the Marriage Act would be changed to replace “a man and a woman” with “two people”. | |
| 2. The conditions for a valid marriage would stay the same: It will continue to be the case that a marriage would be void if, for example, the parties are in a ‘prohibited relationship’, consent was not real, or one or both parties are not of marriageable age. | |
| 3. Foreign same-sex marriages would be recognised in Australia: All valid marriage solemnised under the law of a foreign country, including same-sex marriages, would be recognised in Australia if they are consistent with Australian law. A foreign marriage would not be valid in Australia if the marriage would be unlawful in Australia, for example, if the parties are siblings, in a parent-child relationship, or are polygamous. | |
| 4. Existing protections for ministers of religion would be retained and strengthened: ministers of religion would be able to refuse to solemnise a marriage on the grounds that the marriage is not the union of a man and a woman, if that refusal conforms to the doctrines, tenets or beliefs of the minister’s religion, or is necessary to avoid injury to the religious susceptibilities of adherents of the religion, or if (irrespective of the teachings of his or her church) the minister has a conscientious objection to same-sex marriage. | |
| 5. Marriage celebrants (including those who are not ministers of religion) would be able to refuse to marry a same-sex couple: In addition to the existing law whereby marriage celebrants are under no obligation to solemnise marriage, the Marriage Act would be amended to allow marriage celebrants who are not ministers of religion to refuse, on the basis of conscientious or religious beliefs, to solemnise a marriage on the grounds that the marriage is not the union of a man or a woman. Religious bodies and religious organisations would also be able to refuse to provide facilities, goods or services for the purpose of solemnisation of a same sex marriage, or for purposes reasonably incidental thereto, if the refusal conforms to the doctrines, tenets or beliefs of the religion, or is necessary to avoid injury to the religious susceptibilities of adherents to that religion. | |
| In the event that the Parliament passes the Plebiscite Bill, the Government proposes the establishment of a Joint Select Committee to review and report on the Exposure Draft. The composition of the Committee would be as agreed by the Government, the Opposition, and Crossbench parties. | |
| Updated | |
| at 10.51pm BST | |
| 10.36pm BST | 10.36pm BST |
| 22:36 | 22:36 |
| Nats MP @broad4mallee indicates he'll withdraw support for government if there is a vote on same-sex marriage without plebiscite #auspol | Nats MP @broad4mallee indicates he'll withdraw support for government if there is a vote on same-sex marriage without plebiscite #auspol |
| I am not sure whether National MP Andrew Broad means total withdrawal of support or just on this issue. Checking, checking... | I am not sure whether National MP Andrew Broad means total withdrawal of support or just on this issue. Checking, checking... |
| 10.34pm BST | 10.34pm BST |
| 22:34 | 22:34 |
| The house is a hive of activity this morning. | The house is a hive of activity this morning. |
| Malcolm Turnbull has just spoken to the Australian College of Nursing Parliamentary Breakfast for the launch of White Paper, Nurses Essential to Health Reform. | Malcolm Turnbull has just spoken to the Australian College of Nursing Parliamentary Breakfast for the launch of White Paper, Nurses Essential to Health Reform. |
| Bill Shorten is speaking to the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (Ceda) this morning. | Bill Shorten is speaking to the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (Ceda) this morning. |
| Katharine Murphy did a preview here: | Katharine Murphy did a preview here: |
| Australia’s opposition leader, Bill Shorten, will declare that Donald Trump is “entirely unsuitable to be leader of the free world” in a speech to a Canberra conference on Tuesday. | Australia’s opposition leader, Bill Shorten, will declare that Donald Trump is “entirely unsuitable to be leader of the free world” in a speech to a Canberra conference on Tuesday. |
| The Labor leader will tell the Committee for Economic Development of Australia on Tuesday morning that Australia’s alliance with the US is “bigger than any individual and stronger than any disagreement”. | The Labor leader will tell the Committee for Economic Development of Australia on Tuesday morning that Australia’s alliance with the US is “bigger than any individual and stronger than any disagreement”. |
| “But I know I am not the only one relieved that with every passing day, with every disgusting, demeaning comment Mr Trump makes, the possibility of him being president fades,” the Labor leader will say. | “But I know I am not the only one relieved that with every passing day, with every disgusting, demeaning comment Mr Trump makes, the possibility of him being president fades,” the Labor leader will say. |
| “By his own words and his own actions, he has confirmed the worst fears of millions in the United States and beyond its borders – he is entirely unsuitable to be leader of the free world.” | “By his own words and his own actions, he has confirmed the worst fears of millions in the United States and beyond its borders – he is entirely unsuitable to be leader of the free world.” |
| The head of the Prime Minister’s Office Martin Parkinson spoke to Ceda last night. | |
| We have party room meetings this morning. Cabinet met last night, which is why those marriage amendments appeared so late. | |
| Updated | |
| at 10.51pm BST | |
| 10.21pm BST | 10.21pm BST |
| 22:21 | 22:21 |
| Late last night, just before 10pm according to the Dynamic Red, the fair work amendment (respect for emergency services volunteers) bill 2016 passed 37 to 31. We are just tracking down the votes. | |
| BTW, the Dynamic Red is not Katharine Murphy but the live updates for the Senate. | |
| Updated | |
| at 10.52pm BST | |
| 10.09pm BST | 10.09pm BST |
| 22:09 | 22:09 |
| Good morning blogans, | Good morning blogans, |
| It is all about marriage equality this morning. The political weather is cool with a lot of bluster this morning but let’s separate out what is real and what is rhetoric. | It is all about marriage equality this morning. The political weather is cool with a lot of bluster this morning but let’s separate out what is real and what is rhetoric. |
| The concrete points: | The concrete points: |
| Apart from those points, these are the political points: | Apart from those points, these are the political points: |
| He argued on Sky that the amendments set out the general rules of the act – the rest is up to the courts. | |
| People will always be able to dream up borderline cases, I mean that is what courts are for to interpret acts of parliament. All we can do in acts of parliament is to explain a general rule. And the general rule we have created is an absolute exemption for ministers of religion. An absolute exemption on conscientious grounds for civil celebrants and an absolute exemption for churches and religious bodies in relation to the provision of facilities or the sale of goods or services reasonably incidental to a same-sex marriage ceremony. | |
| OK there is a whole lot more in Brandis’s remarks, which I will bring you in the minute. Let’s crank this thing up. You can join me in the thread or on the Twits @gabriellechan with the man with the lens @mpbowers. | |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 10.54pm BST |