The Senate has criticised plans to hold a national vote on gay marriage while calling on Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to hand his party a conscience vote in parliament.
The upper house on Wednesday backed a Greens motion to urge Mr Turnbull to give Liberal politicians a free vote by the end of the year, noting a national plebiscite could encourage hate speech.
"Australians don't want another opinion poll on this issue. They want the parliament to legislate," Greens senator Robert Simms said in a statement.
Share
