Today, 61.6 per cent of Australians voted in favour of marriage equality; today Australians by and large voted for people’s rights and equality.
I will join the broader Australian community and vote in favour of marriage equality in the Federal Parliament.
A large number of people in my electorate do not support same-sex marriage and voted ‘no’ in the same-sex marriage postal survey - and that is their right.
I respect and understand the rights and views of the people in my electorate - there is nothing more Australian than having the right to a view and the right to express that view.
In Calwell, I have established communities and newly arrived communities - communities whose values and practices are largely affected by their faith.
My interest as the Federal Member for Calwell is to ensure at this time we have a process of dialogue and healing, and coming together in the community.
Now is a time for respectful reconciliation. It is not a time for blame and recrimination.
These issues have a tendency – if not handled sensitively and respectfully - to become divisive, and I am certainly not interested in perpetuating division in my community.
