Mr TURNBULL (Wentworth—Prime Minister) (14:24): Thank you, Mr Speaker. The decision to provide funding to 'yes' and 'no' committees is on all fours with the method that was used in the republic referendum in 1999. It is a very well-established precedent. I want to thank the Special Minister of State and the Attorney-General for crafting a design that reflects very closely the mechanism that was used in 1999 by the government to provide funding for both sides. I note that during the Gillard government there was a proposal to have a referendum on the recognition of local government and, indeed, the Labor government then proposed I believe $20 million of funding to be shared between the two sides advocating the case. So what is being proposed is a conventional approach. It has a precedent in the republic referendum. It is thoroughly fair. I want to say to the honourable member: when the plebiscite comes he and I, despite all of our many differences on other issues, will both vote yes. That is true, so we will agree with that. But I have to say to him, as somebody who would like the 'yes' vote to be successful, he does his cause no service by insinuating that those who oppose same-sex marriage are homophobic or bigoted. Mr Gosling interjecting— The SPEAKER: The member for Solomon is warned! Mr TURNBULL: The honourable member knows very well that as Prime Minister I am not responsible for what that gentleman says, any more than he is responsible for what advocates on the other side of the debate say. The bottom line is this. What he is afraid of is a debate. What he is afraid of is speech. He does not trust the civility— Mr Bandt interjecting— Mr TURNBULL: Yes, you do not trust the civility of the Australian people, the people who elected you. What the honourable member is saying to the electors of Melbourne is: 'I don't trust you to have a respectful, civil conversation. I don't trust you to be anything other than bigots.' The reality is we put our faith in the Australian people. This is a great democracy. The plebiscite is a proposal we took to the election. We won the election. We have a mandate. We are asking the Leader of the Opposition to work with us to ensure that on 11 February every Australian gets their say. Mr Buchholz interjecting— The SPEAKER: The member for Wright will cease interjecting.