Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

Firstly, in speaking on the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012, I thank those senators who have contributed in a respectful and thoughtful way to what is a complex and highly contested issue. I am particularly proud that the Labor senators have handled themselves in such a respectful way in dealing with this issue; I think both sides have conducted the debate in an appropriate way. I also thank those Liberal and Green senators who sought to do the same thing. I think this parliament has a great history in recent years of dealing with these issues in a mature, respectful way, be they issues to do with euthanasia, the RU486 debate or what have you. I think we have dealt with it really well. I think this is, though, the first time where one of the parties has not been allowed a conscience vote. As we know, the Liberal and National parties have on this occasion not allowed their members to exercise a conscience vote. I am very proud that the Labor Party has given that right to its senators as well as, of course, its members in the other House.

I also want to make the point that I think this government's record of ending discrimination against gay and lesbian people is one of its proudest achievements. I know that when I was shadow defence minister I ran up against the terrible discrimination that still existed in the mid-2000s against gay and lesbian people inside the Defence Force. Issues such as housing, transfers and superannuation were all impacted by the terrible discrimination against the quite large numbers of people who made a contribution to the defence of this nation. It was a blight on Australian democracy, and I am pleased to say that the work led by then Attorney-General Robert McClelland saw an end to much of that discrimination and that the parliament supported an end to that discrimination in a bipartisan way. I think that was very appropriate.

I do want to briefly refer to Senator Bernardi's comments, because I think it is important that people make it clear that they regarded—certainly I regard—those comments as outrageous, hurtful, bigoted and reflecting a prejudice that has no place in a modern Australia. I think his remarks were terribly insulting to gay and lesbian people. Hundreds of gay and lesbian people work in this parliament, and I am sure they were all offended and hurt by the comments. Tens of thousands of Australian gay and lesbian people would be hurt and offended by those comments. That sort of denigration and lowering of the debate has done him no good and, quite frankly, has brought an edge to this debate that was absolutely unnecessary and, as I say, not reflective of the contributions other senators have been making.

Senator Bernardi has, unfortunately, a reputation for association with the lunatic fringe of the right wing of politics in this country. We have heard his comments on issues from climate change to the wearing of burqas to the attack on the religion of Islam, all of which have reflected a prejudice and an encouragement of some of the lunacy and hatreds that exist in our society and internationally. As I say, I think his support for some of those groups and their contributions has been quite outrageous.

I think the other point to make in that regard is that Mr Abbott, in dealing with that issue, failed the test of leadership. He never condemned Senator Bernardi's remarks in the way that he should have. I think the real question here is not why Senator Bernardi was dismissed, or why his resignation was accepted. The question is why he was ever appointed. Mr Abbott made him his personal parliamentary secretary—his representative—knowing the sort of view he has expressed over many years.