Australian Marriage Equality has called on the Australian Labor Party to overturn its policy against same-sex marriage before it considers a conscience vote on the issue.
The Australian today reported ALP factional leaders were ready to strike a deal for a conscience vote on same-sex marriage and estimates that if the issue went to a conscience vote, a push for same-sex marriage would be rejected in parliament. Sources told The Australian that they did not want same-sex marriage to be the ‘big story’ for their national conference in December and wanted a ‘mainstream issue – a Labor issue’ to be the focus. The move is also apparently meant to protect PM Julia Gillard from being rejected by her own party at the conference.
The vote is being considered by the national executive, the only body to decide if Labor MPs can vote with their conscience. The body may decide to announce the decision before the national conference. Australian Marriage Equality spokesperson Peter Furness said AME was prepared should there be a conscience vote.
‘There is more support for this issue in both major parties than many people realise,’ he said.
‘Almost every state and territory Labor Conference has overwhelmingly endorsed a motion calling for the National Conference to pass a new policy allowing same sex couples to marry.’
‘If anti-equality MPs want to lobby the Party for a conscience vote that is a matter for them, but it should be after the Party has been allowed to show its overwhelming support for reform.’
OIP Staff
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