AUSTRALIA: Multiple Marriage Bills Announced

The Guardian reports:

Labor and a group of Greens and independent MPs have separately given notice that they will introduce private members’ bills to legalise same-sex marriage.

Greens MP Adam Bandt and independents Cathy McGowan and Andrew Wilkie gave notice on Tuesday of a cross-party marriage equality bill, in identical terms to one before the previous parliament. On Tuesday, as parliament opened for its ceremonial first sitting, opposition leader Bill Shorten confirmed Labor also intended to introduce a bill.

The Nick Xenophon Team and the Greens have announced they will block legislation for the government’s proposed marriage equality plebiscite. Labor also seems likely to block the plebiscite, which would mean it could not proceed.

Labor plans to introduce its bill on 12 September, the first available Monday, when private members’ bills are usually introduced. But it could bring the bill for immediate consideration at any time if it moves to suspend standing orders, meaning it could push it as early as Wednesday or Thursday.

More from the Washington Post:

Labor will need the support of 76 of the 150 lawmakers in the lower chamber on Wednesday for debate on its gay marriage bill to start. Labor has only 69 seats, so it will rely on government lawmakers to break ranks from the ruling coalition, as well as the backing of up to five independent lawmakers.

Labor gained the power to veto the plebiscite after two balance-of-power minor parties said they would not support enabling legislation in the Senate, where the government holds a minority of seats.

All three parties are in favor of gay marriage, but argue that the plebiscite is a waste of money, and that government-funded advertising of arguments for and against same-sex marriage could give legitimacy to homophobic views.

Turnbull agreed to hold the plebiscite in a deal with gay marriage opponents within his party. In return, those opponents backed Turnbull in an internal leadership ballot that toppled Prime Minister Tony Abbott a year ago.