Regardless of which candidate wins the by-election for the seat of Griffith in Queensland the winner will be a supporter of marriage equality.
Both Liberal National candidate Dr Bill Glasson and ALP contender Terri Buttler have gone on the record as being in favour of marriage equality. The Greens candidate Geoff Ebbs is also a long time supporter of marriage equality.
Dr Glasson ran against Prime Minister Kevin Rudd for the seat in last year’s federal election, following Mr Rudd’s resignation from parliament he’s ready to have another stab at taking the seat for the coalition.
Ms Buttler was endorsed as the ALP’s candidate last month. Ms Glasson was previously an employment lawyer.
The Green’s candidate Geoff Ebbs will contest the seat again, like Dr Glasson he stood in the 2013 federal election. Mr Ebbs is the publisher of Brisbane Magazine ‘Westender’ and is involved in community broadcasting. His company Ebono Institute invests in start up companies and community media.
Showing his support for marriage equality Dr Glasson told the Brisbane Times that if the Prime Minister allowed a conscience vote he would be in favour of allowing same sex couple to wed.
“If I was given the opportunity of a conscience vote, then I would certainly have no hesitation in supporting marriage for all Australians.”
“The fundamentals of marriage are love, trust and commitment between two people.
“I certainly believe what defines marriage are those values and not the gender of the people who enter into it,” said Dr Glasson.
Ms Butler said if she was elected to parliament she would actively campaign for marriage equality, but she was less confident that it would come to a vote in 2014.
Federal MP Warren Entsch has told NewsCorp this week that he believed the parliament would revisit the issue of same sex marriage in 2014, possibly in the first sitting. Mr Entsch’s comments follow remarks from frontbencher Malcolm Turnbull who also believes the issue will be on the agenda in the near future.
The date for the Griffith by-election is yet to be set. In the 2013 federal election candidates also ran for the Palmer United Party, Secular Party, Family First, Rise Up Australia Party, Katter’s Australia Party, Stable Population Party, Secular Party, the Socialist Alliance and an independent Mr Greg Snowden. It is not known at this time if these candidates will step up again for the by-election.
OIP Staff, image – Mr Geoff Ebbs, Ms Terri Buttler, Dr Bill Glasson,
Update Sunday January 5th 2014: This article has been updated since it’s original publication. Additional information on the Green’s candidate Mr Geoff Ebbs has been added.
