Labor get the message
Party defends sending of texts by Yes campaign
LABOR MPs have defended the use of unsolicited text messages sent to thousands Australians urging them to “vote YES” in the gay marriage postal survey.
The text message, received by people across the Gold Coast on Saturday, has been slammed by some recipients online as an “invasion of privacy”.
Others were left wondering where the Yes campaign got peoples’ private mobile phone numbers from.
A spokesman for the Australian Marriage Equality campaign said the SMS messages had been sent out to random computer-generated phone numbers.
The text message from the unidentified number with the name “Yes Equality” read: “The Marriage Equality Survey forms have arrived! Help make history and vote YES for a fairer Australia. VoteYes.org.au.”
Deputy Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek said the text message paled in comparison to some techniques being used by the No campaign.
“One of the things that is most irritating about this is people who are getting their goat up about the SMS messages coming out urging a Yes vote,” Ms Plibersek said.
“I mean, we didn’t want this postal survey to happen, we have said all along this is a $122 million waste of money.”
Ms Plibersek also said she was “nervous” about whether Australians favouring a yes vote would presume it would succeed and not bother posting their vote.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said “by and large” the Yes campaign had been conducted “to a very good standard of debate and respect for people”.
Equality campaign co-leader Alex Greenwich said the marriage equality campaign was “using every resource available” in its efforts, including SMS messaging.
“This weekend thousands of Australians volunteered to door knock in their local area because they want everyone to have the same dignity and respect,” he said.
“The campaign is using every resource available to make sure fairness and equality are achieved for all Australians.”
When asked how the phone numbers were passed on, Health Minister Greg Hunt said: “No, I have no details around that. I’ve only seen the media reports, so I’ll leave that for the Attorney-General (George Brandis).”