Get on with marriage: AME
After an agonising two and a half weeks waiting for a government to be formed, same-sex marriage advocates say it’s time for the re-appointed Labor Government to change its tune on gay marriage.
Australian Marriage Equality national convenor Alex Greenwich said the election showed the issue is important to Australians and he again called for both major parties to allow a conscience vote on the issue.
“If the independents are truly independent they will encourage a conscience vote regardless of their personal views,” he said.
“It’s time to get on with the job of achieving equality.”
Greenwich said he believes the issue of gay marriage had come into play in swaying voters in inner-city seats, including the seat of Melbourne won by the Greens’ Adam Bandt.
“Labor’s loss in seats like Melbourne in Victoria and Denison in Tasmania has been attributed to its stance against equality,” Greenwich said.
“Come the next election, if Labor continues to oppose marriage equality it is likely to lose further seats including Sydney and Grayndler in NSW.
“The Labor Party will be foolish not to heed the obvious message [that] it faces an uphill battle to win back majority government as long as it opposes full legal equality for all Australians.”
