After a long and drawn out showdown over marriage equality the Coalition has emerged from it’s meeting room and made a decision not allowing a free vote on marriage equality.
After nearly six hours of debate the coalition have decided to not grant a conscience vote.
Sixty six members of the coalition voted to maintain the status quo, while 33 voted in favour of allowing a conscience vote. The meeting included both Liberal MPs and twenty five of their coalition partners, the National Party.
Liberal member Warren Entsch is scheduled to introduce his private members bill with cross party support next week, but political commentators say it is now likely that his bill will never see the light of day.
This post is being updated, image: Love in Perth – marriage rally July 2015.