7 years ago
TURNBULL FAILS AGAIN ON MARRIAGE EQUALITY
MARK DREYFUS QC MP TERRI BUTLER MP
The outcome of this evening’s coalition party room meeting is a severe disappointment to LGBTI Australians, their families, and those who love them.
Mr Turnbull had a chance tonight to show some backbone in allowing his MPs to follow a proud Liberal Party tradition – a free vote. And he failed.
Australians deserve better.
The old Malcolm Turnbull would not have been afraid to allow his party to express opinions on a matter of conscience. But he is long gone.
The party room resolution to once more pursue the failed plebiscite idea in Parliament shows just how out of touch they are with reality, and with everyday Australians.
The $180 million plebiscite idea has been widely discredited, and rejected by the Senate and the people of Australia as wasteful, divisive and hurtful.
The only thing worse than this plebiscite idea is a postal vote on marriage equality. Just what is the point of a voluntary, non-binding, potentially illegal postal vote, except to solve internal Liberal Party problems?
Labor will continue to fight against these poor alternatives to a free vote in Parliament, which is the most direct way to achieve marriage equality in this country.