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| Tasmanian independent senator Jacqui Lambie agreed politicians should ‘give the power back to the people’.Source: News Corp Australia |
Tony Abbott and Bill Shorten have both expressed their opposition to holding an Australian referendum on gay marriage after Ireland became the first country in the world to recognise same-sex marriage at the polls.
Speaking this morning, the Prime Minister had little interest in following Ireland, describing questions of marriage as “the preserve of the commonwealth parliament” and restating his opposition to recognition of same-sex marriage.
“Not for a second do I want to underestimate the feelings that people have on this issue, both for and against,” the Prime Minister said.
“There are a range of views inside the parliament, there are a range of views inside my party room, frankly there’s a range of views inside my family — inside the Abbott family I’m probably the last holdout for the traditional position.
“Referendums are held in this country where there’s a proposal to change the constitution. I don’t think anyone is suggesting the constitution needs to be changed in this respect.
“Plainly this is a matter that could quite properly come before the commonwealth parliament if members of parliament wanted it to be raised.”
The Opposition leader said he also opposed taking the same-sex marriage issue to a popular vote.
“I support the parliament resolving this issue. I think that would be the most effective and speedy way to do it,’’ Mr Shorten said.
“The real obstacle to marriage equality being dealt with by the parliament is Tony Abbott.
“On one hand Tony Abbott’s ruled out a referendum but on the other hand he is effectively ruling out marriage equality when he denies there being a conscience vote in the Liberal Party.”
Labor is preparing to debate a national conference motion that would compel MPs and senators to support same-sex marriage, regardless of their personal view.
Conservative senators urged an Australian referendum earlier today after the Irish results.
The constitutional change allowing same-sex marriage was passed 62-38 per cent, with all bar one of Ireland’s 43 constituencies voted in favour of the measure.
Liberal senator Zed Seselja, who opposes same-sex marriage, today backed calls for an Australian referendum.
“If you are going to make such a fundamental change it should go to a referendum. I think there is a reasonable argument for that,” Senator Seselja told ABC TV.
Tasmanian independent senator Jacqui Lambie agreed politicians should “give the power back to the people”.
“Whether it’s on this or euthanasia, it’s about time that the people were given a vote on that. It shouldn’t just come down to our conscience — it should come down to every Australian’s conscience,” she told Sky News’s Australian Agenda.
“Personally for me it’s the sacred Christian religious tradition to me and I’m pretty solid on saying when it comes to marriage, marriage stays between a man and woman.”
Australian marriage reform advocates are confident that parliament will eventually recognise same-sex rights, but are wary of a plebiscite as defeat would devastate momentum for their campaign.
Liberal Democrat senator David Leyonhjelm, who is sponsoring a same-sex marriage bill, believes he can lure Liberal MPs who would never back a Labor- or Greens-sponsored marriage reform.
“I’m presenting a different argument. The traditional argument is equality, and that doesn’t resonate with them. My argument is it’s not the government’s business what gender of person you’re allowed to marry,” he said.
“Those governments used to say a black person couldn’t marry a black person, or a Catholic couldn’t marry a protestant, a Jew couldn’t marry a gentile. Still the government says a man can’t marry a man or a woman can’t marry a woman. So all we’re really saying is get the government out of it.”
Cabinet minister Bruce Billson defended the 11-year-old ban on same-sex marriage, but said the government should instead recognise marriage-like “committed life partnerships” for homosexual couples.
“I don’t think we should use one word to cover all kinds of relationships where people feel strongly about the description that it’s communicating,” the Small Business Minister told ABC TV.
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