Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young will speak at a rally for a free vote for Marriage Equality today  at 2pm at Taylor Square, Sydney. Joining the Senator, along with thousands of marriage equality supporters, will be the Deputy Leader of the Opposition Tanya Plibersek, Sydney City Councillor Christine Forster and Rodney Croome, National Director of Australian Marriage Equality.

" I am delighted to be joining thousands of Australian's to show my support for Marriage Equality at the rally today", Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

With Bill Shorten announcing that he will introduce his own marriage equality bill on Monday, and with existing bills from Senator Sarah Hanson-Young and Senator David Leyonhjelm, it is now time for all parties wanting to end discrimination in marriage to work together on a common goal.

The Australian Greens are calling for a cross party meeting to be held on Monday 1 June to discuss strategies that will ensure that marriage equality is secured for all Australians.

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young

The Australian Greens welcome the historic vote of 'YES' for same sex marriage in Ireland and call on Australia to follow suit.

"The news of a resounding 'YES' vote in Ireland for amending their constitution to extend the right to marry to all couples, regardless of gender,  is fantastic and it is time for Australia to catch up" Greens marriage equality spokesperson, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

"The Greens will push for a vote on a bill for same sex marriages to be recognised before the year is out

The Australian Greens say the MH17 disaster is a horrific tragedy that will reverberate around the world.

"Our hearts go out to the families and friends of all those who have been killed, especially the 27 Australians reported to be on board," said Greens Leader Senator Christine Milne.

"Tragedies like these always touch many more people than we can ever know, but it is shocking news that up to 108 delegates to the 20th Annual AIDS Conference due to be held in Melbourne this weekend were on board the doomed flight.

The Australian Greens want Prime Minister Tony Abbott to join President Barack Obama and others around the world in condemning new laws in Uganda that outlaw homosexuality with sentences of life imprisonment.

"Tony Abbott has a moral obligation to condemn these horrific laws and to work with the global community to guarantee the safety of all those named as LGBTI in the Ugandan tabloid Red Pepper," Greens Leader Christine Milne said.

The Greens have a vision of a caring Australia, where every person is able to realise their highest aspirations, free from discrimination in our laws and in our minds.

That's why the Greens have always stood up for full equality for LGBTI Australians, and always will.

It was Christine Milne's Bill that decriminalised homosexuality in Tasmania in 1997, after more than a decade of campaigning and negotiating.

The Labor Government has refused to acknowledge government anti-discrimination policy may have a direct impact on LGBTI students, said Australian Greens spokesperson for education and legal affairs Senator Penny Wright.

In Question Time today, Senator Wright quizzed the Government on exemptions that allow religious schools to discriminate against LGBTI students.

"Education Minister Peter Garrett this morning called for same sex marriage to be legalised to spare some Australian teenagers from bullying," Senator Wright said.

Australian Greens will tomorrow seek to amend the Gonski legislation to enshrine accountability and anti-discrimination principles in the new school funding system.

Australian Greens spokesperson for schools Senator Penny Wright said transparency was essential to make sure the billions of taxpayer dollars would make a real difference in Australian schools.

"These amendments will ensure money goes to schools, not bureaucracies," Senator Wright said.