Minister says non-compulsory plebiscite would not need Senate approval and be a ‘much cleaner process’ than a private member or Labor bill

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

The immigration minister, Peter Dutton, has called for a voluntary postal plebiscite on same-sex marriage, while pushing back against his moderate Liberal colleagues’ attempts to bring on a conscience vote.

Dutton also used a Sunday morning interview to defend his appointment to the new home affairs portfolio, and launched another attack on the ABC, describing it as a culturally-flawed “worker’s collective” that had deviated from its charter.

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“I hope that Michelle Guthrie can arrest some of that direction and bring it back to a more sensible position,” Dutton told Sky News on Sunday.

“That’s been my long-held view of the ABC … and I haven’t seen anyone dispute that with any seriousness,” he said.

Dutton was asked about Fairfax Media reports on a conservative push for a postal plebiscite on same-sex marriage.

Voting in a postal plebiscite would be voluntary, and such an approach would avoid the need for legislation to be passed through the Senate.

A postal vote is supported by Nationals MP, George Christensen, and the Queensland Liberal National party passed a motion in support of the option last week.



Dutton all but conceded a traditional plebiscite was impossible, but pushed back against attempts to deal with the issue through a private members bill, an approach led by Liberal MP, Dean Smith.

“Our party went to the election with a promise of a plebiscite, which has not been possible to deliver because we can’t get the votes of the Senate,” Dutton said.



“From that point, what’s the next best option? In my mind it is a postal plebiscite which allows the public to have their say. If the majority of Australian people have their say in favour of change, my view is that having advocated a democratic process … then the government of the day is bound by that outcome.”

“I think that is a much cleaner process than people running off to support private members’ motions, or a Labor stunt within the House of Representatives.”

But marriage equality campaigners have criticised any attempt for a postal vote.

The Australian Marriage Equality co-chair and New South Wales independent MP Alex Greenwich described it as a “political trick to override the role of parliament”.

“The Senate and the high court of Australia made it crystal clear the only way to deliver marriage equality is though a vote in parliament,” he said. “Any attempt to hold a non-binding and voluntary postal plebiscite will be seen as a pointless political trick to override the role of parliament and delay the settled will of the Australian people.”

The prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, named Dutton as the minister responsible for a new broad and powerful home affairs department. The move was criticised as a “captain’s pick”, but Dutton defended the appointment. He said the prime minister has held the right to make government arrangements since federation.

“In the end what was Malcolm Turnbull’s intention, what was his desire here, was to do everything within our power to keep the Australian public safe,” he said.

Dutton was asked whether he agreed with church leaders’ criticism of the ABC this week over a recent report on Christianity and family violence. Church leaders attacked the report, alleging bias.

Dutton said there was “no immediate fix” to the ABC’s cultural problems. He said the former prime minister John Howard had similar views of the ABC, but was unable to solve the problem through “sensible” appointments to the broadcaster’s board.

“I think we need to recognise that there is a problem, ABC for a long time has become a worker’s collective,” Dutton said. “I think there is a huge gap between the attitude of many within the senior ranks of the ABC and people who live in electorates like mine.”

He said if the ABC stuck to its charter there would be “less difficulty”.

“We need to recognise it and hopefully in time it can be dealt with,” he said.