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| George Brandis declares marriage equality non-partisan amid war of words | George Brandis declares marriage equality non-partisan amid war of words |
| (21 days later) | |
| Marriage equality is a “completely non-partisan achievement”, the attorney general, George Brandis, has said, sharing the love after the cross-party bill passed on Thursday. | Marriage equality is a “completely non-partisan achievement”, the attorney general, George Brandis, has said, sharing the love after the cross-party bill passed on Thursday. |
| Marriage equality will come into effect on Saturday, after the governor general, Peter Cosgrove, signed the bill into law on Friday, but the first same-sex weddings cannot occur until 9 January, after the one-month waiting period. | Marriage equality will come into effect on Saturday, after the governor general, Peter Cosgrove, signed the bill into law on Friday, but the first same-sex weddings cannot occur until 9 January, after the one-month waiting period. |
| Labor and the Coalition have begun a war of words over taking credit for the reform, with the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, accusing the opposition of stymying the postal survey. | Labor and the Coalition have begun a war of words over taking credit for the reform, with the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, accusing the opposition of stymying the postal survey. |
| Brandis told ABC Radio: “This is not owned by the Liberal party or the Labor party or any political party, it’s owned by the Australian people.” | Brandis told ABC Radio: “This is not owned by the Liberal party or the Labor party or any political party, it’s owned by the Australian people.” |
| The attorney general said the moment the public galleries “exploded spontaneously” was “unforgettable” and marriage equality was “the most consequential” thing he had done as the nation’s first law officer. | The attorney general said the moment the public galleries “exploded spontaneously” was “unforgettable” and marriage equality was “the most consequential” thing he had done as the nation’s first law officer. |
| Turnbull said the passage of marriage equality was “a joyous occasion”, brought about because Australians had told parliament to “get on with it” through the 62% yes vote in the postal survey. | Turnbull said the passage of marriage equality was “a joyous occasion”, brought about because Australians had told parliament to “get on with it” through the 62% yes vote in the postal survey. |
| The prime minister, who originally opposed a plebiscite but committed to it after he rolled Tony Abbott as Liberal leader, trumpeted the fact he had gone to the 2016 election promising to give Australians a say. | The prime minister, who originally opposed a plebiscite but committed to it after he rolled Tony Abbott as Liberal leader, trumpeted the fact he had gone to the 2016 election promising to give Australians a say. |
| “The Labor party, for purely political reasons, did everything to frustrate that,” he said. “We managed to find a way to do that without legislation and it worked magnificently. That’s what gave the momentum.” | “The Labor party, for purely political reasons, did everything to frustrate that,” he said. “We managed to find a way to do that without legislation and it worked magnificently. That’s what gave the momentum.” |
| Labor leader in the Senate, Penny Wong, accused Turnbull of “desperation” for attacking Labor in a moment of “national joy”. | Labor leader in the Senate, Penny Wong, accused Turnbull of “desperation” for attacking Labor in a moment of “national joy”. |
| Such a shame that Malcolm's desperation diminishes this moment of national joy. This man is not a leader. https://t.co/bkV1RHFI1g | Such a shame that Malcolm's desperation diminishes this moment of national joy. This man is not a leader. https://t.co/bkV1RHFI1g |
| After all the amendments proposed by conservatives were defeated, marriage equality passed with overwhelming support, with only three Coalition MPs and the independent Bob Katter opposed. | After all the amendments proposed by conservatives were defeated, marriage equality passed with overwhelming support, with only three Coalition MPs and the independent Bob Katter opposed. |
| Turnbull said the image of only four MPs opposing marriage equality sent a message of “affirmation for same-sex couples” and young gay people. | Turnbull said the image of only four MPs opposing marriage equality sent a message of “affirmation for same-sex couples” and young gay people. |
| Senior conservatives – including former prime minister Abbott, the treasurer, Scott Morrison, the Nationals leader, Barnaby Joyce, and MPs Kevin Andrews and George Christensen – were absent from the chamber, abstaining from the vote. | Senior conservatives – including former prime minister Abbott, the treasurer, Scott Morrison, the Nationals leader, Barnaby Joyce, and MPs Kevin Andrews and George Christensen – were absent from the chamber, abstaining from the vote. |
| Christensen said he did not vote for the bill because he was concerned it “failed to protect religious liberty” and did not vote against it because “I told my electorate I would not vote against their wishes”. | Christensen said he did not vote for the bill because he was concerned it “failed to protect religious liberty” and did not vote against it because “I told my electorate I would not vote against their wishes”. |
| Joyce told the lower house on Thursday he would “never vote against the view of the Australian people”, but he supported the definition of marriage as between a man and a woman. | Joyce told the lower house on Thursday he would “never vote against the view of the Australian people”, but he supported the definition of marriage as between a man and a woman. |
| “There should also be acknowledgement that absolute victory is absolute tyranny if you don’t take into account some of the views of those who disagree,” he said. | “There should also be acknowledgement that absolute victory is absolute tyranny if you don’t take into account some of the views of those who disagree,” he said. |
| At a doorstop in the Bennelong electorate in Sydney, the Labor leader, Bill Shorten, said marriage equality was “a triumph not for parliament but for all the people of Australia”. | At a doorstop in the Bennelong electorate in Sydney, the Labor leader, Bill Shorten, said marriage equality was “a triumph not for parliament but for all the people of Australia”. |
| He accused Turnbull of hypocrisy for “running around like he is the godfather of marriage equality”. | He accused Turnbull of hypocrisy for “running around like he is the godfather of marriage equality”. |
| “That is great that we voted that yesterday, but today is back to work, Malcolm Turnbull,” Shorten said. | “That is great that we voted that yesterday, but today is back to work, Malcolm Turnbull,” Shorten said. |
| Actor and LGBTI rights advocate Magda Szubanski told Channel Seven’s Sunrise that Australia had experienced “one of those big civil rights moments”. | Actor and LGBTI rights advocate Magda Szubanski told Channel Seven’s Sunrise that Australia had experienced “one of those big civil rights moments”. |
| “It’s an extraordinary moment in history. It will change us as a country. It will have an impact – we think we don’t have an impact on the world, but what we do ripples out,” she said. | “It’s an extraordinary moment in history. It will change us as a country. It will have an impact – we think we don’t have an impact on the world, but what we do ripples out,” she said. |
| “It feels like this burden has been lifted. Lifted for all of us. And it just reminds you of the sense of fairness of the average Australian, doesn’t it? We are good people and we are sensible people.” | “It feels like this burden has been lifted. Lifted for all of us. And it just reminds you of the sense of fairness of the average Australian, doesn’t it? We are good people and we are sensible people.” |