George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

I think it is also appropriate for me on behalf of the opposition to acknowledge the significance of the vote the Senate is about to take, which will complete law reform in the area of same-sex relationships which really began 40 years ago in the South Australian parliament when a Liberal member of the South Australian parliament, the late Murray Hill, moved for the first time in an Australian parliament to decriminalise homosexual relationships. The precedent which Mr Hill established was followed by all Australian parliaments over subsequent decades. The inclusion of same-sex relationships in the suite of Commonwealth antidiscrimination laws brings that long process of law reform, which has really taken a generation and a half, to completion. I do not want to be controversial about this, but I think that, on an occasion as important as this, it is a matter of regret that Senator Brown should have chosen to make a fractious and opportunistic contribution to a debate which has been characterised by bipartisanship and goodwill between the government and the opposition.

I want to take this opportunity to pay credit on my side of politics to two groups of people: to people within the non-Labor side of politics who have for years championed this cause, people like the former member for Leichhardt, Mr Warren Entsch; people like the member for Kooyong, Mr Petro Georgiou; people like my dear friend Senator Payne, who I see in the chamber today; people like the member for Sturt, Mr Christopher Pyne; people like the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Turnbull—and there are many others. As I have said before, it is a shame that these reforms were not undertaken by the previous Liberal government. It is a shame that these reforms were not undertaken earlier than that by the previous Labor government. From the time that homosexual relationships were regarded by society as respectable and legitimate, it ought always to have been the case that they were included in the suite of antidiscrimination laws. So I think both parties have been tardy with this, but I am glad to say in bipartisan fashion that this legislation will pass tonight.

Secondly, can I pay a particular tribute of regard to those on my side of politics who were deeply troubled and sceptical of some of these reforms because of their own conservative social views, held honourably and in good faith. If I may say through you, Madam Acting Deputy President, to Senator Brown: this is healing, ameliorative legislation. It is legislation to bind society together. It is legislation which will make Australia a more tolerant society. And, in coming to a consensus view, as this Senate in effect has, on the desirability of passing such legislation, it really does not do to spit in the face of those who have, in a spirit of great generosity, subordinated some of their own more conservative misgivings about the legislation, in order to make cheap partisan points. There are those on my side of politics, in particular many of my National Party colleagues like Senator Joyce and Senator Boswell, and others of my Liberal Party colleagues including Senator Ellison, Mr Morrison and Mr Andrews, to name a few, who have exhibited tremendous good faith and generosity in accepting that, in its amended form, this legislation is something that the non-Labor side of politics should support, albeit that they have had to set aside certain misgivings and to compromise their honourable conservatism in agreeing to bipartisanship on this issue. I think people who approach potentially controversial legislation with that spirit of generosity and goodwill deserve congratulations.

Finally, I will not disregard my own advice by making a party political point.