Senator WONG (South Australia—Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) (09:38): Can I first say I do not actually need a lecture from anybody about this being about people's lives. I know that. It is about my life. Can I also say that the Greens are wrong to say that this was never brought to a vote. It was brought to a vote in the previous parliament, and I and many people on my side voted for marriage equality. I want to say this about Senator Simms—and I have said previously that I do respect the fact that he advocates for this issue with genuine conviction. He says here, 'Don't use this as a political wedge.' The Greens on social media and in the media have been going on about, 'Bring it on for a vote today,' but they now stand up and say, when we are trying to bring it on for a vote today, 'That's a political wedge.' We have the Greens tweeting and on other social media, saying: 'It's time. Marriage equality's been discussed for decades and debated for decades. Let's bring it to a vote and get it done.' Then Senator Simms stands up and says, 'But not this vote; just maybe a vote later if we can get a gag up in private senators' bills. Let no-one misunderstand what Senator Leyonhjelm's motion would enable. I commend him for his commitment to this issue. We may not agree on everything, but I commend him for his commitment on this issue. His motion would ensure a vote on marriage equality before we go home, and we would have a full debate. It would be treated as the Senate voting changes would be treated. Every senator who wants to make a contribution would be able to make a contribution, and we would vote on marriage equality before we went home. That is what is being offered up today to the Australian Greens. But what we have is their spokesperson on this saying, 'Every Green, every vote, every time, but not today'—again—'because we want it to be a vote on a gag,' after two or three senators in private senators' business have had the opportunity to make a contribution. Now who wants to talk about political wedging and a lack of commitment on this issue? Senator Di Natale: Boring! Senator WONG: Senator Di Natale says, 'Boring'. Yes, the facts are boring, aren't they? 'Every Green, every vote, every time,' but not today, again. Twice in three days the Australian Greens will vote to ensure that there is not a vote on marriage equality. Twice in three days the Australian Greens will vote to prevent a vote on marriage equality. So don't you ever come in here and tell us how committed you are to this issue. We will be supporting Senator Leyonhjelm's suspension of standing orders in order to ensure that there is a vote on marriage equality. Twice in three days, on the basis of Senator Simms's contribution, we will see the Australian Greens vote with Senator Bernardi to prevent a vote on marriage equality before the Senate leaves today. The Australian Greens care more about eliminating the minor parties in this place than they do about eliminating discrimination against same-sex couples. And twice in three days they will demonstrate that, when they walk—on the walk of shame—and vote to prevent a vote on marriage equality before the Senate rises. I say to Senator Simms: if you are seriously telling the Australian people and the LGBTI community that somehow a gag in a private senators' debate for an hour is a better option than a full debate in the Senate, when every single senator who wants to make a contribution can make a contribution and the debate can be brought to conclusion before we leave, I think really you are wrong and your base politics on this will be demonstrated. The truth is: the only vote you are going to propose is one that the Liberals will let you have. The only vote you are going to propose is the one that Senator Abetz and Senator Bernardi and the Liberals will let you have, and that is a gag vote in private senators' business. The only vote the Australian Greens want on marriage equality is the one that the Liberal government will let them have. Their contribution later today will be a demonstration of their hypocrisy on this matter.