HOST:
Prime Minister of Australia, Malcolm Turnbull, good morning.
PRIME MINISTER:
Good morning, good morning.
HOST:
Well congratulations, is it all done?
PRIME MINISTER:
We’re just driving out of Government House now, where the Marriage Equality Bill has been signed into law as an act of Parliament. It’s part of the law of the land.
HOST:
[Cheering]
So that’s absolutely official? There is no more steps that need to be done, people can sign their Notice of Intent to Marry?
PRIME MINISTER:
No, it’s all done. The law will commence, you know, one second after midnight tonight, so tomorrow. If you’re a same-sex couple and you want to get married like everyone else, you give 30 days notice. So the first same sex-marriages can occur on the 9th of January.
HOST:
Wow.
HOST:
Wow, that’s gotta to be really tense moment where you don’t have a pen right? Like, you’ve got to be sure you’ve got a pen that time.
[Laughter]
PRIME MINISTER:
It’s true.
HOST:
What do you use, a good old BIC pen? Or do you have like, a special quill?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I actually like fountain pens but you know they always leak. That’s why I sometimes have ink on my fingers. But I do like fountain pens.
[Laughter]
HOST:
Can I ask what you think of a Tuesday wedding? Because that’s going to be the 9th of January.
HOST:
Cheaper.
HOST:
Yeah, cheaper. Are you going to be attending any?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I’ve been invited to one already and I’m sure I’ll be invited to some more. But look, this is such a joyous occasion.
HOST:
Yeah!
PRIME MINISTER:
You know the other thing that I should say, is that until today, people, same-sex couples who were married overseas – and I’ve a lot of friends who have done this – their marriages were not recognised in Australia.
So, this law recognises them, so they are recognised, their overseas marriages are recognised in Australia as much as Lucy and my marriage is recognised in Australia, because we were married in England in 1980.
HOST:
Amazing.
HOST:
Yeah I do forget about that, because instantly, officially, they are married here. So congratulations to all the couples that couldn’t wait and were a little bit annoyed and now they are officially married. So congratulations to those who got married overseas.
PRIME MINISTER:
Correct, that’s right.
HOST:
Can I, I just want to talk as well about, excuse me Malcolm, the stuff that’s in the news where people are saying you’re gloating. What would you like to say to those comments?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, I haven’t seen them, but I’m very happy. I’m thrilled.
HOST:
Good one Matty.
PRIME MINISTER:
You know, this decision was delivered by my Government and this Parliament but it was a decision that was taken by the Australian people. It belongs to the whole nation.
HOST:
Yeah.
PRIME MINISTER:
We gave everybody their say and as you know 80 per cent of those entitled to vote, voted, which is an amazing level of participation. 62 per cent voted ‘yes’ and the message was: “Yes, get on with it.”
And we did. We’ve delivered.
HOST:
Yeah.
HOST:
I think that the thing to mention is that everyone went on about what it cost. What I want to say about that, is in the beginning I thought it was stupid to spend the money. But having seen it now, I think what it actually did was, it gave your Government the information, to those people who wanted to vote ‘no’ or who were on the fence, to say: “Well, this is what people want, so you need to follow through with it.”
HOST:
You’re in Parliament, yeah.
HOST:
I actually think now, I think it’s money well spent.
PRIME MINISTER:
Yep.
HOST:
Because this could have gone on for another 20, 30 years, this debate. But spending that money, getting those statistics have just made it go: “Well, you know what? It’s what the people want, it’s what we’re going to do.”
PRIME MINISTER:
It also honoured an election pledge. You’ve got to keep your promises, we said, I said at the election we’d give everyone their say and if they say ‘yes’ then it will be delivered.
We had a lot of opposition to the plebiscite as you know. Labor blocked it in the Senate, they wanted to do everything they could to frustrate it. But we found a way to have the survey without legislation. That was upheld in the High Court and the rest is history, literally.
HOST:
I tell you what, I’ve picked a great day to be riding a rainbow unicorn.
[Laughter]
HOST:
Haven’t you though? You have.
PRIME MINISTER:
Don’t fall off.
HOST:
We’re in a pool Malcolm, we’re in a pool right now as we talk to you.
PRIME MINISTER:
You’re in a pool?
HOST:
Yeah! We’re in a pool.
HOST:
Splashing in it.
PRIME MINISTER:
Oh really, that’s fantastic. So are you sort of in the water, are you in swimming costumes and splashing around?
HOST:
Yes, I’m wearing Wonder Woman and Stav has got speedos on and Matty, he’s got gold hot pants. So this is how we celebrate, Malcolm Turnbull.
[Laughter]
PRIME MINISTER:
I think you’re making this up.
HOST:
No, we’re not. We are going to post you a photo and I promise you it’s going to be a legit and very tastefully done photo that we will send to you, okay?
[Laughter]
PRIME MINISTER:
Okay terrific. Well a very, very Merry Christmas to you and to all your listeners!
HOST:
Thank you Malcolm.
HOST:
Yeah thank you. Just before we let you go Malcolm - you need to tell Malcolm whose speedos you’re actually wearing Stav.
HOST:
This will add to the disbelief Malcolm, but I am wearing red budgie smugglers signed by Mr Tony Abbott himself.
PRIME MINISTER:
Oh well that’s fantastic, I’m sure he’ll be very touched to learn that you’re wearing them.
[Laughter]
HOST:
Absolutely, he will.
HOST:
We’re not lying, do you believe us or do you think we’re still lying?
PRIME MINISTER:
No, no I believe it absolutely. I think it sounds, if it’s a hot day, it’s a good place to be.
HOST:
Absolutely. Well, congratulations, it must be an honour that it has been done when you’re the Prime Minister as well. But congratulations to all the Australia public, really.
PRIME MINISTER:
Yes exactly. This was Australia’s decision and we gave everyone their say and they said ‘yes’. And we delivered. That was our pledge and we honoured it.
HOST:
Alright, good on you mate. Really appreciate you calling through, Merry Christmas. We’ll talk to you in the new year.
PRIME MINISTER:
Merry Christmas to you and all your listeners, talk soon.
[END]