Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Last week I stood in this chamber and let the House know that 21 small businesses in my electorate of Bendigo publicly declared their support for marriage equality. They took out a full-page ad in the Bendigo Advertiser on Saturday saying, 'It's time, Australia. We support marriage equality.'

Today, I am proud to stand here and say that on Saturday a double-page ad featured in the Bendigo Advertiser, with 83 small businesses in Bendigo publicly declaring their support for marriage equality, an ever-increasing number of regional businesses saying, 'I support marriage equality.' These businesses include the Foundry Hotel Complex, Wine Bag, Star Cinema, Honeyeater, World of Tiles Bendigo, Hardcopy Entertainment and Sutherland Property Bendigo—to name just a few.

I am incredibly proud that the small businesses in my electorate are standing up and saying, 'It is time for marriage equality.' They are speaking loudly, calling on their senators in their region to join them. It is a chance for Senator Bridget McKenzie and Senator Michael Ronaldson to hear their calls and to support marriage equality. This is a regional town stepping up to say it is time, and it is about time we saw the government get on board and allow a free vote of their members so that people in regional Australia and all people in Australia can see their dream come true—the dream of marriage equality. It is time.

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