Opposition leader tells Guardian Australia’s Why Knot? event that the ALP would oppose any attempt to deny goods and services to gay couples

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

Labor will oppose any attempt to extend discrimination law exemptions to allow people who object to same-sex marriage to deny goods and services to gay couples.

Opposition leader Bill Shorten made the pledge at Guardian Australia’s marriage equality event Why Knot in Sydney on Thursday.

Responding to a questioner who asked him to rule out allowing bakers not to sell cakes to gay weddings, Shorten said Labor would oppose such discrimination law exemptions and repeal them at the earliest available opportunity if they passed.

“It’s not allowed now under the current law – why would we water down existing laws? We don’t need to water down anti-discrimination law to keep some people [who oppose same-sex marriage] happy.”

According to reports attorney general George Brandis planned to finalise details for the plebiscite in March, including details of exemptions to anti-discrimination law and public funding.

But due to division in the party room, plans to finalise details of the plebiscite were shelved, raising the prospect that voters will not know whether the plebiscite would change discrimination law when they vote at the federal election.

We don’t need to water down anti-discrimination law to keep some people [who oppose same-sex marriage] happy Bill Shorten

Greens leader Richard Di Natale said he married his wife Lucy as a public expression of love and commitment to their friends, family and society. “That’s being denied to people because the community says if you’re straight, your love is something we should celebrate; if you’re not straight, the love for your partner is different, [and without marriage] considered not as strong, less important. That’s effectively prejudice.”

Shorten said “there are enough progressive Liberals, Greens and Labor MPs that we could have marriage equality before the election if it were put to a free vote”.

Australian Marriage Equality national director Rodney Croome warned a same-sex marriage plebiscite would be expensive and divisive. “People with deep prejudice and hatred given the biggest megaphone they’ve ever had,” he said.

Marriage equality could return to parliament as early as 18 April, with Labor suggesting since parliament has been recalled it should debate the issue.

Di Natale backed the move: “That’s a possibility – we need to put as much pressure on [prime minister Malcolm] Turnbull for a conscience vote as possible.”

Why Knot? A spirited panel discussion on marriage equality – as it happened Read more

Shorten reiterated Labor’s pledge that, if elected, it would hold a parliamentary vote on same-sex marriage in parliament within 100 days of the next election.

“We need to campaign at next election for candidates who will vote for marriage equality. If you want to have marriage equality you need to change the government.”

Labor MPs will be allowed a free vote on same-sex marriage, but the party’s policy will bind MPs to vote in favour if the issue is still being debated in two terms’ time.

Turnbull supports marriage equality and opposed holding a plebiscite when the then prime minister, Tony Abbott, suggested one at a joint party room meeting in August last year.

But since becoming prime minister in September, Turnbull has maintained plans for a plebiscite.

The Greens party room is unanimously in favour of same-sex marriage. But the party’s pledge to support it “every vote, every time” came under strain when the Greens voted against debating same-sex marriage in the Senate in March, labelling it a stunt to derail Senate reform.