After Prime Minister Tony Abbott has promised to have a "full and frank" debate on legalising gay marriage in response to an opposition-backed push for marriage equality in Australia, a momentum for a bill on this matter is building up in the country.
After Prime Minister Tony Abbott has promised to have a "full and frank" debate on legalising gay marriage in response to an opposition-backed push for marriage equality in Australia, a momentum for a bill on this matter is building up in the country.
Opposition Labor Party leader Bill Shorten on Tuesday reportedly said he would bring a private member's bill in parliament next week which will "bring about marriage equality in Australia," following Ireland's successful referendum on the issue.
Read: Ireland becomes first country to leagalise same-sex marriage by popular vote
"Our current law excludes some individuals, and to me, that is unacceptable," Shorten said. "For marriage equality to happen, Tony Abbott has to give his MPs a free vote." Anna Burke of Labor Party was the latest MP to extend support for same-sex marriage, taking the lower House support to 75 MPs and only 76 votes are required to pass a bill.
Liberal Party leader Abbott, who has so far refused to hold a referendum on the issue, said procedures related to the bill would be followed "to the letter".
"...It is coming again before the parliament for vote, it's a matter that the (Liberal) Party room will consider, as you'd expect," Abbott told reporters. "I'm sure at that time we'd have a very full and frank and candid and decent debate inside the party room," he added.
Abbott, however, asked Shorten not to politicise the issue.
Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese said his reading of the numbers showed there was now a favourable majority in both Houses of parliament. Labor deputy leader Tanya Plibersek, who will second Shorten's motion, has called for a binding vote, arguing it is a matter of legal equality.
"It is now time for Australia to join the nations that recognise people should be able to marry the person that they love," Albanese said. "I strongly believe there should be a vote this year and it should be a conscience vote." Abbott's conservative government is opposed to gay marriage and the party has previously refused to allow a conscience vote among its members.
Albanese said Labor and Liberals needed to respect that some MPs oppose the change on the basis of their conscience.
Cabinet minister Malcolm Turnbull said that same-sex marriage could be legalised before the end of 2015. "I have never seen a social issue which has changed attitudes as rapidly as this one," he said, adding his feeling was that legislation was "very likely to pass." Liberal MP Russell Broadbent, who opposes the laws, said he would be in favour of a free vote within his party.
According to MP Ian Macfarlane, same-sex marriage was not a priority issue for the government and he will oppose it based on the views of his conservative Queensland electorate of Groom. Meanwhile, Abbott said there were differing views in his Liberal party and within his own family. "The issue needed to be treated with respect."
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