Greens want gay support boost in Canberra

ACT Greens are calling on the territory government to give extra support to the gay community during a same-sex marriage poll expected to be divisive.

Gay and lesbian Canberrans could get extra support during a national plebiscite on same-sex marriage under a plan from the ACT Greens.

The minor party, campaigning for the October 15 ACT election, wants the territory government to spend $500,000 extra on gay support services and appoint a new LGBTIQ commissioner if the plebiscite that it believes will be victimising and divisive goes ahead.

"The (federal) government has been urged by LGBTIQ groups around the country to abandon this plebiscite but it seems the Liberals won't be satisfied until people are dragged through the mud by the harmful hate campaigns it would drum up," said Greens spokeswoman Victoria Wensing, who was briefly married when the ACT legalised same-sex marriage in 2013.