The Newman government has taken the extraordinary step of beginning to remove the rights of some of its citizens through its introduction of amendments to the Civil Partnerships Act and related legislation, the Australian Greens said today.

"The Greens are appalled that a state government would crumble to the Australian Christian Lobby's demands and start to legislate to weaken the relationships of same-sex couples," Greens' human rights spokesperson, Sen. Sarah Hanson-Young, said.

Dear friend,

Australia is ready for marriage equality. The community understands that it's an issue of basic fairness. Parliament starts debating our laws to end this discrimination today. It's an issue that's found its time.

But Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott are standing in the way.

We've just launched a new push to see the end of marriage discrimination by the end of the year - you might have seen it on the news last night.

Campbell Newman's decision to amend civil unions for same-sex couples is another example why the federal Marriage Act needs to be reformed, the Australian Greens said today.

"While many Queenslanders feared the worst that Premier Newman would take away their rights, the truth is they never should have been put in that position," Greens' human rights spokesperson, Sen. Sarah Hanson-Young, said.

Sarah spoke to journalists in Sydney this afternoon about the Prime Minister's childcare summit. She also commented on the criticism of NSW Liberal Catherine Cusack because she supports marriage equality and wants the federal Coalition to have a conscience vote.

The New South Wales Coalition has shown the leadership that Tony Abbott lacks by letting upper house members have a conscience vote on a marriage equality motion, the Australian Greens said today.

"The unstoppable push for giving same-sex couples the choice whether to get married has taken a giant leap in Sydney, putting more pressure on Mr Abbott to grant the Coalition a free vote in Canberra," Greens' human rights spokesperson, Sen. Sarah Hanson-Young, said.

Liberal Party leader, Tony Abbott, should follow the leadership of the NSW Coalition and let his federal MPs have a free vote on marriage equality legislation due before Parliament this year, the Australian Greens said today.

"I was encouraged to follow the debate in the NSW Parliament where Coalition MPs said they supported marriage equality because they were conservatives, not in spite of it," Greens' human rights spokesperson, Sen. Sarah Hanson-Young, said.

The Australian Greens today said there is no evidence to back claims of the Victorian deputy chief psychiatrist who signed a letter by a fringe doctors group which claims allowing same-sex marriage would harm children.

"Dr Kuravilla George's views are out of step with professional bodies such as the Australian Psychologists Society and the Australian Medical Association which say it's discrimination itself which is harmful and has negative health impacts," Greens' human rights spokesperson, Sen. Sarah Hanson-Young, said.

Audio of Sarah's Adelaide doorstop on marriage equality national day of action and ASIO Act