Teresa Gambaro (Brisbane, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Citizenship and Settlement) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the motion from the member for Melbourne. The Liberal Party has had an unparalleled legacy of firsts in the recognition of female and Indigenous political representation and in real and practical outcomes that have focused on fairness and the merit of the individual. I want to comment on the words of the member for Blair on this subject and acknowledge the fantastic work that the member for Leichhardt did in 2004 to ensure that there were equal rights across a number of areas of federal legislation. We have also had a support base that respects our tradition of avoiding fleeting trends and pointless populism. As the Liberal Party, we pride ourselves on providing a genuine balance between liberal progression and conservative stability and we must bring such considerations to this important debate.

There is a very strong argument that legal rights and social acceptance of gays and lesbians must continue to progress. Same-sex couples rightfully demand the practical benefits and social respect that heterosexual couples enjoy and I believe that the majority of Australians generally support equal rights for same-sex couples. I believe that those in my electorate of Brisbane would demand that such equal rights are adhered to. And I support the views in the community in relation to any proposed changes to the specific definition of marriage.

There is some genuine division of opinion in the wider community. I have spoken with people of all ages and backgrounds and it is really important to note that there is even disagreement within the gay and wider community as to the best way forward. Our older generation have seen and lived through unprecedented change, and I would imagine many of them are appalled by what they perceive as disrespect for the traditions that have served them so well. They have seen great achievement and prosperity from the stable family traditions that they have known and respected. As such, there is an argument for giving serious consideration to the issue before we engage change in important traditions. If the argument is about preserving the historic designation of marriage as being exclusively between a man and a woman then let us ensure that we fully consider the fact that we may be terminating a well-respected and definitive institution.

There are a whole range of issues that many speakers before me have canvassed, and they are equally important to the LGBT community, who often do not receive the same level of acknowledgement by members in this place or the media. Some of those issues are: the fear of discrimination by aged-care providers; access to sex-specific Medicare rebates for transgender or intersex people who may not have been recognised as that sex by Medicare—for example, prostate cancer for post-operative transgender women; and the inclusion of same-sex de facto relationships within marital or relationship status protection in federal antidiscrimination laws. There are already precedents internationally that suggest that same-sex civil unions are not equally recognised—for example, in the UK, where insurers have been found to charge higher premiums for same-sex civil union partners because such partners are only recognised as singles for insurance purposes.

There are many considerations in this important debate but fundamentally we must adhere to the philosophy of a fair go for all. It is in our national ethos, it is right, it is true and it is relevant to these considerations. But we must also respect our traditions and respect those who hold them dear. There are many considerations and I believe that they would coincide with the thoughts of the wider Brisbane community.

I have received many emails and phone calls from people from the Brisbane electorate regarding this motion. There are many differing opinions on this matter. I have heard directly from gays that there is even difference of opinion in the gay community for and against this issue, just as there are a range of opinions from heterosexuals. I have heard from straight people who have entered into civil unions who are quite content with the public affirmation that they have received from a civil union.

This motion specifically asks us to consult our constituents. I am happy to consult the people of Brisbane, as I have always been happy to consult my constituents and canvass their views on this issue.

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