Australian Marriage Equality’s national director Rodney Croome has congratulated the Western Australian Parliament and Premier Colin Barnett for passing yesterday’s motion to call on the Federal Government to dismiss a plebiscite and allow a free vote on marriage equality.

Marriage equality advocates, such as AME and Mr Croome, have been calling for a free vote since former Prime Minister Tony Abbott disallowed a free vote on the matter, suggesting a plebiscite or referendum.

“We welcome the WA Parliament’s motion and Colin Barnett’s leadership,” Mr Croome said, “A free vote on marriage equality is the quickest, cheapest, least divisive and most appropriate way to resolve the issue.”

Former convener of AME and NSW Parliamentarian has also taken to Twitter to support the WA Government’s motion. The NSW Government passed a similar motion earlier this year, under Liberal Premier Mike Baird.

Great to hear that the WA Parliament has joined the NSW Parliament in calling for a few vote for #marriageequality

— Alex Greenwich MP (@AlexGreenwich) September 23, 2015

A senate inquiry into a public vote on the matter of marriage equality produced a report which recommended that Federal Parliament put the issue to a free vote, as the length of time and intensity of public debate would be distressing to the LGBTIQ community, allies and their children.

National spokesperson for the Australian Family Association Terri Kelleher is skeptical of the Senate’s findings, writing that Danish LGBT people have seen an increase in suicide risk since Denmark legislated Registered Partnerships in 1989.

“Some same-sex marriage supporters are using the vulnerability of some young GLBT people to try and censor a public debate and deny Australians the opportunity of a popular vote,” Kelleher says.

Leigh Hill