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Greens will vote against plebiscite legislation

The Australian Greens have resolved to vote against any legislation enabling a plebiscite on marriage equality.

"No matter what the enabling legislation for a plebiscite looks like, the Greens will vote against it. We should never put questions of human rights to an opinion poll," said Greens Leader Richard Di Natale.

"The easiest, simplest, quickest, most effective, least costly and least harmful way of ensuring equality in marriage is through a vote in the parliament, and we can do that next week should the Prime Minister decide to show some leadership.

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Greens say entire plebiscite is a delay tactic against marriage equality

Expect more delays, says Greens Leader Richard Di Natale, unsurprised that Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has pushed his promised plebiscite on marriage equality off to next year

"Delays are the entire point of the Liberals' plebiscite ploy. They don't want to end discrimination in the law, they want to push it off to the never-never," Senator Di Natale said.

"The Parliament could pass marriage equality into law next Tuesday, but instead the Liberals want to run a costly and divisive public vote that may be ignored by many of their so-called representatives anyway.

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Bob Day must condemn vicious anti-gay group

Robert Simms 29 Jun 2016

The Australian Greens are calling on Family First Senator Bob Day to condemn the vicious anti-gay rhetoric printed in 100,000 pamphlets supporting his re-election.

According to the Advertiser, Senator Day is being supported by a group who regard gay people as "detestable," along with anyone who has sex outside of marriage.

"These views are extreme, deeply offensive and totally at odds with the views of the South Australian mainstream," Greens sexuality spokesperson Senator Robert Simms said.

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Plebiscite sham snowballs

Robert Simms 28 Jun 2016

The shambolic marriage equality plebiscite continues to be exposed as a wasteful and useless exercise after it was revealed some coalition members would abstain from voting on the matter, the Australian Greens say.

"Between some coalition members deciding to abstain from the vote and some choosing to ignore the will of the Australian people, this plebiscite has become a farce of epic proportions," Greens marriage equality spokesperson Senator Robert Simms said.

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Plebiscite is a farce and a sham: Greens

Robert Simms 25 Jun 2016

The Australian Greens say the marriage equality plebiscite has been exposed as a sham following revelations that coalition MPs may be free to follow plebiscite results in their individual electorates, rather than the national poll.

"This plebiscite is an expensive sham and a farce. Yesterday we were told it won't be binding and today we learn the Liberals are deliberately setting it up to fail," Greens marriage equality spokesperson Senator Robert Simms said.

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Turnbull’s pointless plebiscite exposed

Robert Simms 24 Jun 2016

The Australian Greens have renewed their calls for PM Malcolm Turnbull to dump the costly and divisive plebiscite on marriage equality following his admission this morning that no Liberal party member would be bound by the result.

"I think most Australians would be scratching their heads this morning. How exactly can the Prime Minister justify spending $160 million on what is in effect a giant opinion poll that isn't even binding on his own members," Greens marriage equality spokesperson Senator Robert Simms said.

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Fight for final SA Senate seat heats up

Greens Senator for SA Robert Simms has challenged conservative Family First Senator Bob Day to a debate ahead of the July 2 election following the launch of the website www.robnotbob.com.

"The final senate seat in South Australia is likely to come down to myself or Bob Day, and the choice couldn't be starker. The climate change denying, homophobia of the Family First party versus the progressive, forward-looking agenda of the Greens," Senator Simms said.

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Bring on a marriage equality vote in the parliament: Greens

Robert Simms 30 May 2016

The Australian Greens are calling on Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to grant LNP members a free parliamentary vote on marriage equality if he is returned to government, rather than conducting a costly and divisive plebiscite.

"Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's comments today would give some Australians the inkling that we could have marriage equality realised by the end of the year - but we can do it without spending $160 million and sending people straight back to the polls after a marathon election campaign," Greens marriage equality spokesperson Senator Robert Simms said.

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