2013-2014-2015 

 

The Parliament of the 

Commonwealth of Australia 

 

THE SENATE 

 

 

 

 

Presented and read a first time 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marriage Equality Plebiscite Bill 2015 

 

No.      , 2015 

 

(Senators Rice, Lazarus, Leyonhjelm, Lambie, Muir and Xenophon) 

 

 

 

A Bill for an Act to require a plebiscite on marriage 

equality, and for related purposes 

   

   

   

 

 

No.      , 2015 

Marriage Equality Plebiscite Bill 2015 

i 

 

Contents 

Part 1--Preliminary

 

1

 

1 

Short title ........................................................................................... 1

 

2 

Commencement ................................................................................. 2

 

3 

Object of Act ...................................................................................... 2

 

4 

Definitions ......................................................................................... 2

 

Part 2--National plebiscite

 

3

 

5 

National plebiscite to be held ............................................................. 3

 

6 

Question to be submitted to electors .................................................. 3

 

7 

Results of plebiscite ........................................................................... 3

 

Part 3--Miscellaneous

 

4

 

8 

Application of Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1984 .......... 4

 

9 

Regulations ........................................................................................ 4

 

 

 

 

No.      , 2015 

Marriage Equality Plebiscite Bill 2015 

1 

 

A Bill for an Act to require a plebiscite on marriage 

1 

equality, and for related purposes 

2 

The Parliament of Australia enacts: 

3 

Part 1--Preliminary 

4 

   

5 

1  Short title 

6 

 

  This Act may be cited as the Marriage Equality Plebiscite Act 

7 

2015. 

8 

   

Part 1  Preliminary 

   

 

Section 2 

 

2 

Marriage Equality Plebiscite Bill 2015 

No.      , 2015 

 

2  Commencement 

1 

 

  This Act commences on the day after this Act receives the Royal 

2 

Assent. 

3 

3  Object of Act 

4 

 

(1)  The object of this Act is to enable the views of electors on 

5 

marriage equality to be determined by national plebiscite. 

6 

 

(2)  It is Parliament's intention that if the result of the national 

7 

plebiscite is that the majority of electors respond in the affirmative 

8 

to the question specified in section 6, the Parliament will: 

9 

 

(a)  pass any legislation necessary to allow marriage between 2 

10 

people regardless of their gender; and 

11 

 

(b)  do so within 6 months of that result being provided to the 

12 

Minister under subsection 7(1). 

13 

4  Definitions 

14 

 

  In this Act: 

15 

electors means all persons validly enrolled to vote under the 

16 

Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 on the date of the next general 

17 

election. 

18 

Minister means the minister responsible for the administration of 

19 

the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918. 

20 

next general election means the first general election for the House 

21 

of Representatives that is held after this Act commences. 

22 

   

National plebiscite  Part 2 

   

 

Section 5 

 

No.      , 2015 

Marriage Equality Plebiscite Bill 2015 

3 

 

Part 2--National plebiscite 

1 

   

2 

5  National plebiscite to be held 

3 

 

  The Minister must cause the question specified in section 6 to be 

4 

submitted to electors at a national plebiscite to be held at the time 

5 

of the next general election. 

6 

6  Question to be submitted to electors 

7 

 

  The question to be submitted to electors in accordance with section 

8 

5 is "Do you support Australia allowing marriage between 2 people 

9 

regardless of their gender?". 

10 

7  Results of plebiscite 

11 

 

(1)  The Electoral Commissioner must provide the Minister with a 

12 

statement setting out the results of the plebiscite as soon as 

13 

practicable after the plebiscite is held. 

14 

 

(2)  The Minister must cause a copy of the statement to be laid before 

15 

each House of the Parliament as soon as practicable. 

16 

   

Part 3  Miscellaneous 

   

 

Section 8 

 

4 

Marriage Equality Plebiscite Bill 2015 

No.      , 2015 

 

Part 3--Miscellaneous 

1 

   

2 

8  Application of Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1984 

3 

 

(1)  The Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1984 applies to the 

4 

submission of the question specified in section 6 and the scrutiny 

5 

of the result of the plebiscite with such modifications as are 

6 

necessary to allow the submission of the question and scrutiny of 

7 

the result on the same basis as a referendum under that Act. 

8 

Note: 

Voting is compulsory under that Act, see section 45. 

9 

 

(2)  To avoid doubt, subsection 11(4) of the Referendum (Machinery 

10 

Provisions) Act 1984 applies in respect of the presentation of the 

11 

argument in favour of, or the argument against, the question 

12 

specified in section 6 with such modifications as are necessary to 

13 

allow expenditure on the same basis as a referendum under that 

14 

Act. 

15 

9  Regulations 

16 

 

  The Governor-General may make regulations prescribing matters: 

17 

 

(a)  required or permitted by this Act to be prescribed by the 

18 

regulations; or 

19 

 

(b)  necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or 

20 

giving effect to this Act. 

21