Former Prime Minister John Howard has said he would have preferred the issue of marriage equality to have been dealt with a free vote rather than a national plebiscite.
Mr Howard was speaking to SKY News over the weekend in the lead up to the 20th anniversary of his historic election win that made him Australia’s leader for eleven years.
“I would have preferred for the matter to be dealt with by a free vote in the parliament, I believe in representative democracy.” Mr Howard told The Australian’s Paul Kelly.
“But having seen a plebiscite promised, the government must honour that promise. The people would feel very let down if the government walked away from that commitment.” Mr Howard said.
Mr Howard said social issues had previously been dealt with by the parliament and his feeling was that they were always best dealt with by a free vote.
While some MPs have vowed to vote against changing the marriage laws regardless of the outcome of the plebiscite Mr Howard said he believed the final result would still reflect the thoughts of the people.
Mr Howard said he found it surprising that anyone opposed to changing the marriage laws was considered to be a right wing extremist.
“Interestingly the law that was put there, was put there in 2004, and if my memory serves me correctly, it went through unopposed. In other words the Labor party members supported the definition that is now in the act.” Mr Howard said.
“I just find it interesting thing in the light of some of the allegations that are made in that somebody who supports the traditional definition of marriage that they’re some kind of far right wing extreme homophobe,” Mr Howard said, “it’s an absurd proposition.”
Mr Howard said he was deeply concerned that ordinary Australians would be afraid to speak out about the issue.
“You’ve got this ridiculous situation in Tasmania where the booklet put out by the Catholic bishops, I’ve read it, it’s an orthodox statement on the Catholic churches view on the definition of marriage. By no possible interpretation could it be seen as offensive to gay people, no way in the world.” Mr Howard said.
Mr Howard said the prevalence of people being labeled bigots, homophobes and prejudiced for having a more traditional view had become too common.
Marriage Equality advocates welcomed Mr Howard’s, in-principle support for a parliamentary free vote on marriage equality instead of a plebiscite.
Australian Marriage Equality national director, Rodney Croome, said,
“We welcome Mr Howard’s common sense support for a free vote in parliament.”
“When Mr Howard led the push to prevent same-sex marriages in 2004 it was by a vote in parliament and the recognition of same-sex marriages should occur the same way.”
“Ironically, if Malcolm Turnbull followed John Howard’s advice we could have marriage equality by now.”
Mr Croome said while Mr Howard is concerned voters will feel “let down” if the plebiscite is cancelled, they will also feel let down if $160 million is spent on the plebiscite option.
Labor Leader Bill Shorten took to Twitter to encourage Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to reconsider his commitment to a plebiscite.
“Even John Howard supports a free vote on marriage equality. Time to let the Parliament do its job Mr Turnbull” Mr Shorten wrote.
OIP Staff, Image: Robert D Ward
