Save The Date: Marriage Equality Plebiscite Set For Feb 11 (If It Even Happens, That Is)

Australians will head to the polls on February 11 of 2017 to vote on same sex marriage, Federal Cabinet has agreed.

Whether or not their plans will be given the necessary blessing by Labor is not yet known.

According to the ABC, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s cabinet last night decided on the February 11 date for the mooted marriage equality plebiscite, along with the question that’ll be put to voters: “Should the law be changed to allow same-sex couples to marry?”

They also allocated taxpayer funding of $7.5 million to each of the “yes” and “no” campaigns, pushing the plebiscite’s cost from a proposed $160m to $175m.

Australian Christian Lobby’s managing director Lyle Shelton told the ABC funding for the “no” campaign will also be used to argue against Safe Schools, while also “airing the concerns of a whole range of consequences that flow from taking gender out of marriage."

The Cabinet’s proposal will today be put to Coalition MPs, where the decision regarding campaign financing could rankle those who had publicly announced their distaste for public funding.

However, the fate of the plebiscite most likely rests with Labor and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten.

Yesterday, Shorten introduced a private members bill to Parliament seeking to legalise same sex marriage without a plebiscite. (His is just one of four - likely unsuccessful - marriage equality bills now on the table.)

Speaking to a half-empty chamber (Coalition MPs mostly sat his speech out), Shorten reiterated common concerns about a plebiscite and its resulting “no” campaign.

"Every piece of expert advice tells us young Australians who are gay are more likely to contemplate suicide and more likely to take their own lives," he said.

"A 'no' campaign would be an emotional torment for gay teenagers and if one child commits suicide over the plebiscite, then that is one too many.”

With words like that, pressure is on Shorten to reject the Coalition’s plebiscite plans, which would require Labor’s support to become a reality. He earlier claimed any additional public funding for campaigns would put their backing at risk.

More news as it develops.

Photo: iStock.