The Australian Federal Government has just released its national budget and it has surprised many its mention of a same-sex marriage plebiscite.

Since about 2015, Australia has been embroiled in a debate about whether the issue of marriage equality should be decided by a national public vote. Many argued it was too expensive to hold, at an estimated cost of about $170 million and would leave many vulnerable LGBTI Australians open to vitriol in the public debate.

But legislation enabling a plebiscite was blocked by the Senate last year, leaving many people assuming the issue was done and dusted.

However, the Liberal Party government has renewed its commitment to a plebiscite in the Federal Budget, estimating that $170 million might be needed if the vote was to go ahead. The government has deemed a plebiscite as a ‘fiscal risk’ and is preparing to spend the money if it needs to.

‘To this end, the Australian government will provide $170 million to conduct a same-sex marriage plebiscite as soon as the necessary legislation is enacted by the Parliament,’ the budget paper read.

This will hurt the government

Marriage equality advocates said the money could be better spent elsewhere.

‘It’s deeply disappointing that the Government is persisting with its expensive, damaging, unnecessary and unpopular plebiscite,’ said just.equal’s Rodney Croome.

‘If the Government is determined to spend $170 million on LGBTI issues it would be better off funding LGBTI school inclusion and mental health programs.

‘My message to the Government is that it will suffer at the election if it doesn’t resolve marriage equality with a free vote in parliament during this term of government.

‘I urge marriage equality supporters to contact Government members to urge a free vote and say ‘no’ to a plebiscite.’

But good news for PrEP

But in some good news for the community the government committed to making the HIV prevention pill, PrEP, available through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme if the medicine wins approval at a key meeting in July.

‘We will continue to provide affordable access to new medicines that are recommended by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee without fear or favour,’ the Health Minister, Greg Hunt said in the budget paper.

Two applications to make PrEP more widely available and affordable will come before the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee in July. One application is from Gilead, the manufacturer of Truvada, the other from a generic manufacturer.

‘It’s highly reassuring to see this Budget commitment to make PrEP available if it wins PBAC listing,’ said Darryl O’Donnell, CEO of the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations.

‘PrEP can prevent thousands of HIV transmissions in the years ahead, but only if it’s affordable and available to those who need it.’