Gay Queensland MP wants a free vote on marriage equality
QUEENSLAND’S first openly gay MP wants a parliamentary vote on marriage equality.
Trevor Evans has called on the federal government to dump its proposed plebiscite in favour of a vote to resolve the issue, according to ABC News.
The Liberal MP has not ruled out crossing the floor to support Labor in introducing a marriage equality bill.
“I don’t think it necessarily has to come to that,” said Evans.
“There’s a number of ways forward. I’d like to think that the government can take control of the agenda and organise a parliamentary vote on our terms and resolve this matter in a businesslike fashion.”
Evans said the plebiscite should be scrapped given it had been rejected by Labor and the Greens in the Senate.
“This issue is distracting from the government’s very real achievements in areas like cutting taxes for small businesses, passing industrial relations laws and passing the budget,” he said.
“The entire community is frustrated to see that this issue continues to be on the agenda when it should have been resolved in line with our election commitment.
“I would like to think there is enough good will in the government and in the parliament to find a way forward to resolve this.”
Absolutely, Tim Wilson is a perfect case in point, his turning against the far-right and his I.P.A support base who actually put him in there as a plant.. so ruthless and nasty these gay liberals.
I cannot understand why Malcolm Turnbull is persisting with the absurd proposal by arch-homophobe Tony Abbott for a Plebiscite on Equality. It was simply proposed as a sop to our Community and some bought it. As I have said before, even if 100% of All Voters said “Yes” the result would not be binding on any Government. That is what Abbott wanted because he knew he could simply ignore the results.
Abbott very deservedly got dumped by the Liberal Party. The Voters would not have a bar of him.
“It’s Time” Time for Turnbull to put a stop to this charade and stand up for what he has often said he believes in and put the issue to a Vote in the Federal Parliament. A Free Vote. If, as it should if the politicians have any sense of holding on to their seats, it passes then the Secular Australian Marriage Act can & should be changed.
Politicians who vote against such a move could then be targeted at the next Federal Election. Ours is a Big Community. As has been said for years “We’re here, We’re Queer, We’re Everywhere!” It is estimated that up to 10% of the population are members of Our Community. That means that it is possible that 10% of every electorate across the country are. If we set aside our political preferences and decide to punish those MPs & Senators who Vote “No” by voting Against them in most electorates they will lose their seats.
Let’s do it!
Trevor Evans is feeling the heat…. good….
Just remember how long he stood by and did nothing for the community when you come to vote at the next election.
Wow, further to previous News.com.au is reporting that Malcolm Turnbull will not stand in the way of his backbenchers putting up a vote in the Parliament! That’s a big change from a few weeks ago. Could be all done within a month people! I’ve never been so optimistic that this might finally happen in Australia. Well done all.
The momentum within the Liberal and National parties is really building now. As more judeo-christian nations and more Christian church leaders get behind marriage equality, the last “reasons” (I don’t want to imply they are reasonable reasons) conservatives have to keep fighting this are disappearing. Dutton’s stupid postal ballot is all they’ve got left! If it wasn’t so serious we’d literally be rolling around laughing at Dutton, Christiensen and Abbott as more and more of their former supporters change sides every day.