Bill Shorten will march in this year’s Mardi Gras

By James Branson

Federal Opposition leader Bill Shorten has announced his intention to march in this year’s Mardi Gras parade with his family. The Labor leader has yet to announce his costume.

“I’m delighted to be attending… with my wife, our three children and my Labor Party colleagues,” said Shorten, presumably whilst deciding whether to wear a leather-daddy outfit or come as something a little more campy. Of course, he couldn’t help but take a shot at PM Malcolm Turnbull.

“If the new Malcolm Turnbull actually did what the old Malcolm Turnbull said, we could have marriage equality. If [he] is too gutless to confront the right of his party, Labor will introduce a Bill into Parliament within 100 days of being elected to legalise same-sex marriage.”

“Attending Mardi Gras sends a strong message that LGBTI Australians are valued members of our community, entitled to the same opportunities, love and respect as everybody else.”

Shorten’s form on marriage equality has been reasonably good since becoming Labor leader. Last year he oversaw the introduction a bill to parliament that proposed replacing the words “man and woman” with “two people” in Australia’s marriage legislation.

Unfortunately, this many members of Parliament showed up to vote on the proposal:

With Australian Marriage Equality claiming to have the numbers to pass same sex marriage legislation, a Parliamentary conscience vote would most likely see marriage equality come into force in Australia quick-smart.

Unfortunately, Malcolm Turnbull seems to have been effectively reigned in by the right-wing nutjobs in the Liberal party, and we’ll be having a fucking plebiscite sometime next year.