Gay-friendly Entsch wins his seat

Warren Entsch, the Liberal National candidate who has spoken in favour of gay marriage, has won back the federal north Queensland seat of Leichhardt.

Entsch retired at the 2007 election, but this election he reclaimed the seat from Labor’s Jim Turnour with a swing of over 8 percent on a two-party preferred basis.

In September 2004 — the same year both major parties voted to amend the Marriage Act to block same-sex marriage — Entsch spoke out publicly against the Liberal Party’s position, saying laws preventing gay marriage were “offensive” and “unnecessary”.

Entsch previously held Leichhardt for 11 years.

In 2007 he was one of five Liberal backbenchers to call for same-sex civil unions, writing to all Commonwealth parliamentarians asking for support to end discrimination based on sexuality.

Entsch was also one of the early supporters and drivers in the Liberal Party of legislative reform in federal law to recognise same-sex relationships for superannuation purposes.

News of Entsch’s re-election has been received warmly by the broader gay community.