Senator Dean Smith has confirmed that he is working on a private members bill for marriage equality and hopes to raise the issue in the party room in the near future.

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Speaking to SevenWest Media, Senator Smith said the issue had become an embarrassment for the government and it was time the party revisited the issue ahead of the next election.

“The bill is important because it will allow the Liberal Party to revisit the issue of marriage once and for all before the next election,” Senator Smith told The Sunday Times.

Last month Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull ruled out any deviation from the current policy, which is to hold a non-binding plebiscite that will cost the nation millions.

The confirmation that a bill is being developed has been welcomed by marriage equality advocates.

Alex Greenwich, Co-Chair of Australian Marriage Equality, who run the Equality campaign said the announcement shows that political support for a action is growing.

“Senator Dean Smith’s progress towards legislation shows the political will to deliver marriage equality in this parliament continues to grow”

“As the national body for the marriage equality campaign, we will continue to work across the political spectrum to see marriage equality legislation pass this parliament as soon as possible with as much support as possible.

“The recent multi-partisan and unanimously supported senate inquiry on marriage equality legislation provides a clear pathway for this reform.

“We are grateful that Senator Smith, a key member of that inquiry, is working to turn that into a bill to allow all Australians to marry the person they love in the country we all cherish,” Greenwich said.

OIP Staff