Today we applauded the Nick Xenophon Team (NXT) for vowing to vote against a marriage equality plebiscite.

 

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

 

"I applaud the NXT for reflecting the overwhelming view of the Australian LGBTI community and vowing to vote against plebiscite enabling legislation."

 

"A plebiscite will be costly, it will provide a platform for hate campaigns and it has the potential to delay marriage equality."

 

"Labor has very effectively made the case against a plebiscite and now it needs to join the Greens and the NXT by vowing to vote a plebiscite down."

 

Mr Hinton-Teoh said he has confirmed with the NXT that they not only oppose a plebiscite in principle but will vote against enabling legislation.

 

He responded to claims that blocking a plebiscite will block marriage equality for this term of parliament.

 

"I expect that when a plebiscite is knocked on the head the Government will look again at a free vote, and even if a free vote isn't allowed only a handful of Liberals need to cross the floor for marriage equality to pass."

 

"In the absence of a plebiscite I believe there is a parliamentary path forward for marriage equality."

 

Earlier this month just.equal and Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) released a scientific study of LGBTI community attitudes to a plebiscite which found that 85% of LGBTI people oppose the idea and want a free vote in parliament instead. 60% said they oppose a plebiscite even if it means marriage equality will be delayed. The study was the largest of its kind ever conducted with 5,500 respondents across all demographics.

 

A copy of the study can be found here.