More MPs seek marriage views

More MPs seek marriage views

The campaign for marriage equality is set to hot up in 2011, with a further five MPs announcing they will seek their constituents views on same-sex marriage, while hundreds of people are arranging to meet their politicians to lobby them on the issue.

A Brisbane woman received a letter from Brisbane Liberal MP Teresa Gambaro advising that she would seek her electorate’s views through her newsletter in early 2011 while Labor Richmond MP Justine Elliot called on anyone in her electorate who wishes to make their views known on the issue to contact her by phone or email.

“Residents on the north coast hold strong views about this issue, and anyone who wants to make their views known on this or any other matters before the Federal Parliament are encouraged to contact me,” Elliot told AAP.

Labor MP’s joining Sydney’s Tanya Plibersek in hosting surveys on the issue on their websites include the Batman MP Martin Ferguson and Moreton MP Graham Perrett.

Meanwhile, Tony Windsor will become the first of the independents to seek their constituents views on the issue, having announced that he will carry out a survey of the people of New England before Parliament resumes in February.

In November, Windsor indicated he thought civil unions might be an easier win, but seemed open to being persuaded otherwise.

“The term ‘marriage’ may raise concerns but the only way to find this out is to do a survey,” Windsor said.

Australian Marriage Equality (AME) national convenor Alex Greenwich said he was buoyed by the way 2011 was starting out, with the number of politicians across both houses of Parliament on the record as same-sex marriage supporters having risen to 28.

“We gained so much ground in 2010 that we’re going into 2011 with unstoppable momentum,” he told the Star Observer.

“Cabinet members have to maintain solidarity on Labor Party policy but we have already had a few break ranks. I can assure your readers that there are a number of other people within the cabinet who, once given the opportunity at the ALP National Conference to come out in support of marriage equality, will.

“A number just can’t be public at the moment. I’m pretty positive we’ll get there in terms of the ALP changing their party policy on the issue.”

Greenwich said AME’s campaign encouraging people to meet with their MPs and senators face-to-face to explain why the right to marry was important for same-sex couples was already starting to pay off.

“Over the Christmas break around 300 people sent emails to MPs requesting a meeting on marriage equality through our meeting request webform and some of those meetings are already scheduled so I think 2011 will be an exciting year,” he said.

You May Also Like

Comments are closed.