Australia: Same-Sex Marriage Plebiscite Is Dead, and So May Be Hopes for Marriage Equality Any Time Soon

‘The Plebiscite Would Cause Harm to Gay and Lesbian People — Particularly, but Not Exclusively, to Young People’

Australia’s Labor Party just blocked the same-sex marriage plebiscite, one of several parties that supports marriage equality but not at the expense of over $100 million dollars and the dignity of the LGBT community. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is demanding the nation weigh in with a non-binding resolution before lawmakers officially vote to extend marriage to same-sex couples, but equality supporters say civil rights should never be put up to a vote.

Bill Shorten, the head of Australia’s Labor Party, “said Tuesday his party voted unanimously against the referendum proposed for February amid concerns it would be too costly and create an acrimonious climate for LGBT Australians,” NBC News reports. 

“This country does not have the right … to pass judgment on the marriages and relationships of some of our fellow Australians,” Shorten announced, according to The New York Times. “The plebiscite would cause harm to gay and lesbian people — particularly, but not exclusively, to young people.”

“Children do not need to go to school in the climate of a plebiscite and have the integrity of their parents’ relationship challenged,” Shorten said. “This country does not have the right, in a plebiscite, to pass judgment on the marriages and relationships of some of our fellow Australians.” 

Here’s Shorten Tuesday making the announcement:

Nationally, polls should resounding support for marriage equality: somewhat older polls say 64%, more recent ones say 70%. 

So why should Australian taxpayers have to foot the bill, about $122 million in U.S. dollars, to learn what they already know?

They shouldn’t. 

As it stands now, thanks to Turnbull, Australia’s same-sex couples will likely have to wait for lawmakers to try to take up the issue – but not until 2019, after the general election.

If this is starting to sound like both a circular firing squad and a ridiculously bad exercise in representative democracy, all because of one man, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, you’re right.