Tasmania’s LGBTI community has made up its mind about the plebiscite on same-sex marriage.
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It is more opposed to a public vote on the issue than LGBTI communities in other states, a survey of 5500 people funded by Parents & Friends of Lesbians and Gays Australia found last month.
More than 90 per cent of LGBTI people surveyed in Tasmania rejected a plebiscite, compared to 86 per cent in Victoria, 85 per cent in South Australia and 84 per cent in NSW.
It’s no coincidence that Tasmania was also the scene of a debate over decriminalising homosexuality in the 1990s, same-sex marriage advocate Rodney Croome says.
Tasmanian LGBTI people don’t want a repeat of that argument, which grew ugly in tone and hurt many in the community.
Gender, sexuality and or intersex status support group Working It Out executive officer Susan Ditter fears the debate has already taken that direction.
“People are very sad that we seem to be going back in time,” she said.
Liberal senator Cory Bernardi’s linking of homosexuality and bestiality in 2012 signalled the extent to which the debate’s tone could veer towards vilification.
“I think this sort of language hasn’t been around since the move against decriminalisation in Tasmania and we don’t want to go back there,” Ms Ditter said.
“We will speak respectfully and we expect others to speak respectfully.”
There was no indication that others would follow suit in federal parliament or outside, Ms Ditter said.
“What will happen in this plebiscite is the arguments for and against will be very much in the public eye.
“Those against will use any statement that will get traction regardless of its lack of respect.”
Mr Croome underlines the volume that anti-same-sex marriage voices will win from a plebiscite debate.
A small minority of people will have the largest platform they’d ever had to air their views, he said.
The long-time same-sex marriage advocate said he agreed with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull that most Australians were fair-minded and tolerant.
But young and isolated LGBTI people were already vulnerable without hate speech, he said.
Opponents to changes of the Marriage Act vow not to use language the LGBTI community fears.
The Australian Christian Lobby’s Tasmanian director Mark Brown says it will speak “respectfully, compassionately, but clearly” against redefining marriage.
“We encourage all Australians to exercise their freedom to participate in this discussion in a similarly respectful manner.”
He accuses pro-same-sex marriage politicians of being disrespectful.
“Sadly, we have seen some of the most distasteful comments on this subject coming from federal politicians calling their fellow Australians homophobes and bigots.”
New Tasmanian Liberal senator Jonathon Duniam, who does not support same-sex marriage, said he believed people will be respectful.
But Mr Croome asks why Christian groups want the state’s discrimination laws to change providing an exemption if an act is for religious purposes.
His question is the same repeated since the law change was floated: what do they want to say that they haven’t been able to before?
PATHS TO CHANGE
The ACL says that Australians’ free speech on marriage would be ‘diminished’ if same-sex couples were allowed to marry.
“Every Australian needs to have a say on whether some children will be required to miss out on their mum or dad,” Mr Brown said.
Writing at the end of his first week in parliament, Senator Duniam says the plebiscite was the best way to settle a debate running in parliament since 2004.
Eighteen pieces of legislation relating to same-sex marriage have been introduced into parliament since, which the ACL labels a tactic of ‘legislation by fatigue’.
Senator Duniam says the plebiscite was clearly part of the Coalition’s agenda during the federal election.
“As a result of the election, the Coalition plans to proceed with the plebiscite.”
It may have no such luck. Numbers are stacking up against it in the Senate. The Greens, the Nick Xenophon Team and crossbench senator Derryn Hinch won’t support legislation for a plebiscite.
Labor is yet to define a position but has grown more hostile to a public vote.
Mr Croome would welcome a defeat of plebiscite legislation.
Polls consistently show a majority of Australians support same-sex marriage.
Were a free vote held in parliament, it would pass, Mr Croome said.
A plebiscite could be used to erode this parliamentary support, he said.
Coalition MPs could vote against same-sex marriage if their electorate rejected it, regardless of the national result.
Enough electorates could return these results to reduce the parliamentary majority in favour of change, Mr Croome said.
“It’s not so strong it can’t be eroded to the point it’s no longer a majority and that’s the danger of a plebiscite.”
Considering the Turnbull government’s ‘plebiscite or nothing’ approach, how likely is it that a parliamentary vote will be held instead?
The Prime Minister is presenting a false choice to the public, Mr Croome said.
“I think it’s very likely that if a plebiscite is knocked on the head, the issue of marriage equality will return to the Coalition party room.”
It was quite possible the outcome of that discussion would be a free vote, he said.
Even if one was not held, party rules allowed Liberal backbenchers to cross the floor in an ordinary vote with impunity.
Only a small number would need to do so for the legislation to pass.
Mr Croome is hopeful that a defeated plebiscite wouldn’t be the end of the marriage equality debate this term, by virtue of the electoral cycle.
“I can’t see supporters of marriage equality in the Liberals going to the next election with nothing to offer,” he said.
“Blaming Labor for blocking the plebiscite will have no weight in three years’ time.”