Fraser Anning (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Hansard source

This is not my maiden speech. I rise to speak to the Marriage Amendment (Definition and Religious Freedoms) Bill 2017. This bill seeks to amend the Marriage Act 1961 and the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 and make amendments contingent on the passing of the Civil Law and Justice Legislation Amendment Bill 2017 to allow for same-sex marriage. This bill also purports to provide that refusal of a priest or a minister to solemnise the union of same-sex couple will not be unlawful.

The fact that a majority of the community have voted in favour of the change proposed by this bill should be acknowledged. However, it is false to claim that simply because a majority have agreed to do something all parliamentary representatives are bound to support it. Governments rely on majorities. Senators, however, rely on only 7.7 per cent or 14.3 per cent of the vote. Otherwise there would never have been a Greens senator.