Greens bag plebiscite

A PROPOSED national vote on same-sex marriage is on rocky ground after the Greens confirmed they would oppose the enabling laws.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull inherited a decision by former prime minister Tony Abbott to allow a plebiscite on changing the Marriage Act before any parliamentary vote.

Greens leader Richard Di Natale, however, said yesterday that questions of human rights should not be put to an opinion poll.

“The easiest … least costly and least harmful way of ensuring equality in marriage is through a vote in the parliament,” he said in a statement.

“We can do that next week should the prime minister decide to show some leadership.”

Senator Di Natale said the proposed plebiscite would be a waste of money designed to delay equality while giving a megaphone to homophobia.

“We call on Labor and the other crossbenchers to reject the Liberals’ plebiscite and demand a free vote in the parliament,” he said.