Senators Give Emotional Response to Anti-Vilification Bill During Marriage Equality Debate

Senators Penny Wong and Janet Rice gave emotional responses to an anti-vilification bill introduced to the Senate on Wednesday, September 13.

Mathias Cormann’s bill seeks to fine people who vilify, intimidate or threaten harm “on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, intersex status or religion.”

Those found in contravention of the bill face fines upwards of $12,000, Sky News reported.

The bill will be presented to the lower house on Wednesday afternoon.

In response, Wong, who has two children with partner Sophie Allouache, spoke about the “difficult” marriage equality campaign and called on Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to do more to protect children during the debate, who were being treated, she said, as “collateral”.

“I would say to the Prime Minister, this bill does something but it doesn’t do enough and you need to stand up for those Australians who don’t have a voice.”

Rice then gave an emotional response discussing her experience marrying a man 30 years ago, who is now her transgender wife.

She discussed how they are forced to “self-censor” in public and acknowledged the difficulties living in Australia in a same-sex relationship.

A postal survey asking whether same-sex couples should be allowed to marry will be mailed to 16 million Australian voters from September 12, after the High Court ruled on September 7 that the government’s $122 million plebiscite was lawful. The results of the survey will be available on November 15. Credit: Australian Parliament via Storyful