Senator BRANDIS (Queensland—Attorney-General, Vice-President of the Executive Council and Leader of the Government in the Senate) (14:21): I think I heard the gravamen. Senator Rice, yes, I have and, yes, I can. I have had very lengthy discussions with members of the LGBTI community and I have had lengthy discussions as well with people who take a conservative, traditional view of marriage. Among the discussions I have had with members of the LGBTI community are discussions with Australian Marriage Equality and discussions with Australians for Equality, the two principal bodies promoting the marriage equality cause. I have had several discussions with those people, as recently as yesterday, and they are not the only ones of the LGBTI community I have spoken to, but I mention them in particular because, as you would be aware, Senator Rice, as somebody who follows this issue closely, they are the two peak bodies campaigning for marriage equality. Now, Senator Rice, we have discussed the issue to which you have referred. We have discussed all the issues relating to marriage equality and the plebiscite. One of the things I said to those spokespeople, as I say to you, is that there is now a clear and immediate path to marriage equality in Australia, and that is to submit to the judgement of the Australian people on 11 February next year a plebiscite so that they can have their say. You read the opinion polls just as closely as I do, Senator Rice, and you know— The PRESIDENT: Pause the clock. Senator Rice, a point of order? Senator Rice: Mr President, my question asked about the details of those discussions, not just if the Attorney had had the discussions, and whether he had had any discussions with members of the LGBTI community from other countries who had been through similar experiences. The PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Rice. They were elements of your question, but I do believe the Attorney-General is being directly relevant throughout his answer. Senator BRANDIS: I am sorry, Senator Rice; I forgot that last bit, and the answer to that question is yes, too. I have in particular had several discussions with Mr Tiernan Brady, who ran the 'yes' campaign during the Irish referendum. It is not my practice to detail confidential conversations, because people are entitled to speak to ministers, and indeed shadow ministers, in confidence. I hope I might be able to elaborate a little in answer to your— (Time expired) The PRESIDENT: Senator Rice, a supplementary question.