Brandis: ’Stop playing with gay people’s lives’

ATTORNEY-General George Brandis has hit out at Labor for refusing to state its position on the plebiscite bill after consultation talks failed.

Attorney-General George Brandis says he is disappointed Labor is not willing to compromise on the same-sex marriage plebiscite. Picture: AAP/Lukas Coch

ATTORNEY-General George Brandis has hit out at Labor for refusing to state their position on the plebiscite bill after consultation talks failed.

The Federal Government’s meeting with Labor to discuss its gay marriage plebiscite appears to have been over before it even started, with both sides accusing each other of refusing to compromise.

Senator Brandis said he was prepared to seek common ground when he sat down with shadow attorney-general Mark Dreyfus and Senator Terri Butlerhe.

Attorney-General Senator George Brandis and Senator Scott Ryan explain the mechanics of the same-sex marriage plebiscite. Picture: Supplied.

“On some nine occasions, I said to them, what do you want?” Mr Brandis said.

“I’m disappointed that on every occasion when I asked Mr Dreyfus and Ms Butler to state what the Labor Party’s position was, they refused to do so.

“I ask Mr Shorten again to stop playing politics with this issue, to stop playing politics with gay people’s lives.”

In a press conference after the meeting Senator Dreyfus said Brandis had been unwilling to compromise.

Before the meeting even took place Senator Brandis fired a warning shot, telling Fairfax Media gay couples may have to wait until the 2020s before legislation is changed to allow gay couples to marry in the absence of a plebiscite.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has called on Labor to reveal its list of demands to support a plebiscite.

But Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says it’s up to the government to make a compromise offer.

Mr Turnbull says gay marriage could be legal within weeks of the proposed February 11 poll.

“The ball is in Labor’s court on this issue,” he told reporters in Sydney.

“If Labor want same-sex couples to be able to marry in February, they should support the plebiscite.”

Labor has lashed out at the “stubborn” coalition, brushing off threats from Senator Brandis that a plebiscite is the only way to achieve marriage equality in this decade.

Mr Shorten said the coalition’s right-wing had ruled out items of negotiation before talks even began.

“This is the only negotiation I’ve ever seen in human history where before discussion or briefing from the government, they rule off what people can and can’t talk about,” he told reporters in Melbourne.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says Labor won’t spell out their list of demands. Picture: AAP Image/Joel Carrett

He wasn’t willing to spell out Labor’s list of demands.

“I will see Malcolm Turnbull face-to-face along with all of his government MPs for four weeks before Christmas and yet apparently they are so busy doing nothing else they can’t afford to have a vote on marriage equality,” he said.

Meanwhile, deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce told News Corp the Senate should vote on the same bill that passed the lower house — suggesting the Nationals wouldn’t support any compromise, particularly on the public funding for the yes and no cases.

Mr Dreyfus said earlier that removing the public funding would be a necessary step but not sufficient to win Labor’s support.