Turnbull says he'll vote yes while savaged for same-sex marriage 'hurtful' debate
Malcolm Turnbull has been savaged on breakfast radio over the level of debate surrounding same-sex marriage, despite saying he and his wife Lucy would vote “yes”.
The prime minister on Sydney’s 2Day FM took a solid stance on how he would vote in the postal same-sex marriage survey.
“Lucy and I are voting yes,” Mr Turnbull told the hosts when pressed for his opinion.
“Lucy and I have been long supporters of same sex marriage.
“If a gay couple gets married, that doesn't threaten my 38 years of marriage.”
The discussion covered the “mental health” of gay Australians after “Stop the gays” posters appeared in recent days, distributed by neo-Nazis.
Radio host Em Rusciano was scathing of what she said was a potentially harmful national discourse opened by the Turnbull government.
"Your respectful debate, with all due respect, is already in the toilet," Rusciano said.
Mr Turnbull said sometimes in democracy people will say things that are cruel and that while he too found the flyers hurtful, those affected by them should turn their attention elsewhere.
Spotted in Melbourne - Heffernan Lane. How is this for a unity moment? @TurnbullMalcolm @cityofmelbourne @AdamBandt @VicGovAu @abcnews pic.twitter.com/syL7vqRJLK
— Dan Leach-McGill (@DanLMcG) August 19, 2017
"Stand up for them, put your arms around them," Mr Turnbull said on Tuesday.
"Don't be distracted by a handful of extreme and unpleasant posters or flyers.
"Focus on the substance of the debate and if you give the people who are saying vote no ... respect for their conservative view of marriage then they will give respect to your view."
Yet the prime minister remained sanguine about the discussion and vote, telling Australia’s LGBTI community and their families to “believe in yourself” and “be proud of yourself”.
Neo-Nazis papered posters across cities depicting a child cowering below two people brandishing rainbow belts, citing widely discredited research linking same-sex relationships to higher levels of abuse.
Shadow attorney-general Mark Dreyfus says the government has to wear that.
"If this ridiculous postal survey goes ahead, we're in for a whole range of bile and offensive material that's going to be foisted on us and the government is responsible for it," he told ABC radio.
As well, the Advertising Standards Board says it won't consider complaints about ads relating to the poll because it considers them to be political advertising not covered by its ambit.
Labor senator Jenny McAllister, who is chairing an inquiry into the survey, says she's already seeing "hateful" examples of campaign material that does not meet the standard of respectful debate.
She wants any concerned individuals or organisations to get in touch with the Senate finance and public administration committee at Parliament House to report any offensive, misleading or intimidating campaign material or behaviour.
Mr Turnbull again insisted same-sex marriage will "sail" through the federal parliament should the postal survey be carried.
