Australian Marriage Equality and the campaign group GetUp have gathered a petition with more than 55,000 signatures calling for a free vote in parliament on same-sex marriage.
The petition, to be presented to the government in Canberra on Monday, criticises the “procedurally unnecessary” plebiscite but also warns the longer marriage equality is put off, the more a message is sent that LGBTI people do not have equal rights.
AME is continuing to walk a fine line opposing the plebiscite but emphasising that delay of marriage equality is not an option.
Speaking before submitting the petition, the AME co-chairman, Alex Greenwich, said it would communicate to its supporters “the details of [plebiscite-enabling] legislation and the Labor party’s alternative to a plebiscite”.
“We will be making the point: that blocking the plebiscite and attacking the government will not deliver marriage equality,” he warned.
As parliament resumes in Canberra the fate of the plebiscite itself is in doubt, with the Greens and Nick Xenophon Team pledging to block it and Labor likely to do the same.
The government is yet to release a draft bill of the plebiscite-enabling legislation and is expected consider it at its party room meeting on Tuesday.
The AME and GetUp petition says prime minister Malcolm Turnbull can “legislate for marriage equality right now, by allowing a Liberal free vote in parliament”.
It details a number of concerns with the plebiscite, including that it is not binding, “increases the risk of violence and harm” to vulnerable LGBTI people and could call into question the “validity and worthiness” of LGBTI people and their families.
“The longer we allow marriage discrimination to continue, the more we send a signal to our community that not all Australians are equal under the law,” it concluded.
GetUp marriage equality director, Sally Rugg, said: “While marriage equality has strong public support, a plebiscite to decide its future does not.”
“People understand that a plebiscite is procedurally unnecessary, ethically fraught and potentially divisive, which is why more than 50,000 Australians are urgently calling on the Turnbull government to allow a free vote on marriage equality.”
“The future of the plebiscite is hanging in the balance. GetUp and AME hope the weight of a 50,000 signature strong petition will tip the scales from the unnecessary delay tactic, and towards a free vote.”
Greenwich said the petition “highlights the urgency with which Australians want this parliament to deliver a free vote on marriage equality”
“Marriage equality is a straight forward reform about making people happy, the longer our politicians delay action, the more frustrated people are becoming.”
Asked to comment on whether making the plebiscite self-executing could help overcome disagreement on it, Greenwich said that “there is nothing that will make the process of plebiscite more palatable – it’s a terrible precedent for public policy and huge waste of money”.
But he said it would be best if the plebiscite were binding and no public funding were given to either side. A separate petition with 12,000 signatures calls for the government to rule out public funding.
On Sunday reports suggested a senior Anglican leader was promised by Turnbull that the yes and no cases would be funded.
Labor and lower-house crossbenchers will put separate bills legalising same-sex marriage to parliament on Monday and the latter group has written to the opposition leader, Bill Shorten, urging him to ditch Labor’s bill and get on board with theirs.
Greenwich said he expected uncertainty to continue for about a month as this is the last sitting week until mid-October and Labor was being “utterly reasonable” by insisting on seeing the plebiscite bill.
Parents and Friends of Lesbian and Gay Australians and LGBTI rights group Just Equal have assembled a group of almost 200 LGBTI Australians calling for the plebiscite to be voted down.
The list includes comedian Magda Szubanski, Olympic gold medallist Matthew Mitcham, actor Simon Burke, radio host Julie McCrossin, singer Foustina Agolley, opera star Deborah Cheetham, writer Benjamin Law, former Australian Medical Association president Kerryn Phelps and the first openly gay senior rugby player Ian Roberts.
