Marriage equality now five votes away from success after Queensland MP confirms support
FIVE votes in the House of Representatives — and a free vote at that — is now all that is required for marriage equality to become a reality in Australia after another Labor MP announced his support towards the close of last year.
Shadow Indigenous Affairs and Ageing Minister and Blair federal MP Shayne Neumann has confirmed his newfound support of marriage equality after previously ruling out support in 2013.
[showads ad=MREC] News of his change of heart came right before Christmas, when he acknowledged public opinion had shifted on the issue.
“I have always encouraged local residents to contact me to let me know their views,” Neumann said in a statement sent to the Star Observer.
“I appreciate those people who have done so over the years about marriage equality.
“I recognise that Australian public opinion has changed considerably in favour of marriage equality.
Neumann, who one of Labor’s few remaining MPs opposed to marriage equality, had based his stance on his own opinion and that of his electorates’.
“Last time I voted against same-sex marriage when the legislation came before the House of Representatives… and I haven’t changed my position,” Neumann said three years ago.
“I sat on the committee that looked at the legislation… and I was unconvinced by the arguments. If the same legislation came before the house again I wouldn’t change my mind.”
However, referring to the 2015 National Labor Conference where members voted on a policy to introduce a vote on marriage equality within the first 100 days of a Labor government, Neumann said he supported the changes.
“As a member of Labor’s front bench I will support Labor’s policy on marriage equality,” he said.
“I will now vote for marriage equality.”
Advocates have welcomed Neumann’s support.
“Across the nation MPs are listening to the personal stories of their constituents and realising why marriage equality matters,” Australian Marriage Equality national director Rodney Croome said.
“A vote in parliament will be quicker and cheaper than a plebiscite and we hope to have the numbers to achieve marriage equality in 2016.
“This is important because, regardless of a plebiscite, only parliament can amend the Marriage Act.”
A national plebiscite on marriage equality would be pursued by the Turnbull Coalition government should it win re-election, which Labor brandished as a waste of money and a platform for bullies to attack the LGBTI community.
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I am voting for the Australian sex party as I have done in the past two federal elections! We actually support marriage equality, unlike the ones say both labor and the greens who say they support marriage equality, and then vote against it in the parliament!
We were only about 995 votes away at the last federal election from getting elected in Tasmania for a senate seat. Jackie Lambie got that seat instead! We will control the balance of power in the senate in 10 years time I can guarantee that!
Correct, Jackie Lambie opposes marriage equality! She did not deserve her seat in Tasmania!
I do not like Malcolm Turnbull because he has far too much money! I like Bill Shorten because he personally went to the mine in Beaconsfield TAS to see if those men who were trapped down the mine were OK 10 years ago!
Is this a serious comment? Surely not.
Shorten went to that mine only when the miners were found alive and the media assembled for a grand personal interest saga. It was Shorten’s ticket to public prominence — and he rode the wave magnificently. He’s a media tart.
Whatever you say about Turnbull’s money — and I’m not sure why you wouldn’t vote for someone who’s been successful in business– never, ever think Shorten is the man of the people he’d have us believe. He’s as expedient as any other media hound politician.
I agree Bill Shorten is a cunt! However I love the Labor party and hope they get rid of that cunt and replace him with Anthony what’s his name. First 100 days a gay marriage bill will be introduced and to outlaw porn revenge.
I think Bill Shorten is cute, so I am voting for the Labour Party the next election!
Labours policies are:
1. Outlawing revenge porn
2. Same-sex marriage implementations in first 100 days of power
3. Equality bill implementations
4. Keep fair work legislation
5. Tax the wealthy 1 percent and let poor people have a fair go for benefits they are entitled to
Liberal party policy
A referendum into marriage and to strip away fair work and to also steal more money from the poor people, instead of the wealthy 1 percent!
You think Bill Shorten is cute, gee wizz what did you smoke the other day? I think he is a total asshole holding back the Labor party. The Liberal party love him because it gives them more votes. The liberal party are homophobic cunts hell bent on banning gay marriage for another 1000 years. We will have marriage equality, but only under the Labor party. I personally predict that marriage equality will be allowed in 2019. QLD, SA and NT are also yet to allow adoption equality also. It is crazy to think that in 2016 these are all still issues! When Tony Abbott and Malcolm turdface Turnbull die I will dance on there graves!
I for one am glad this is an election year for the federal government of both Australia and the United States – because I hope the Labor party wins in Australia and the Democrats win in Congress and Hillary Clinton wins in the White House. The Malcolm Turnbull and/or Tony Abbott do not support marriage reforms and do not support increased funding for HIV organisations, which by the way ripped out 756 million dollars over the past 2 years of funding since 2014 to research and treat HIV in Australia. Then at the start of 2016, the Liberal party are as sexist and homophobic since they day they were born in 1940s. The minister who sent that communication (via text, email or phone etc.) should be sacked from the Australian Parliament and have an immediate by-election. This is the typical way the Liberal party treats women and LGBTI people with contempt. The Liberal party has been a disaster since 2013 – with the budget or debt in a shambles, smoking cigars before the horrible 2014 budget night, knights and dames, IR reforms and others getting blocked in the Senate, blocking marriage equality and blocking Barton Highway funding, ban on wind turbines and clean energy funding, Peter Slipper James Ashby affairs, breaking marble tables, and to top it all of in 2016 – very bad treatment of harassing women in Hong Kong.
Anything I missed?
Cutting HIV funding to organisations too! Malcolm Turnbull is a total cunt!