Liberal groundswell for equality
The Liberal Party’s opposition to same-sex marriage is being challenged from within its own ranks, with a proposal for marriage equality posted on the members’ ideas section of the party’s website receiving massive support.
The Liberal member who posted the idea wrote that allowing same-sex marriage was in line with Liberal Party ideals as it stressed, “the importance [of] individual freedoms and how the government really has no business poking its nose in your personal affairs unless you’re breaking the law”.
Australian Marriage Equality (AME) spokesman Alex Greenwich said he found support for the idea among Liberal supporters encouraging.
“We’ve seen the amount of grassroots support there is for same-sex marriage in the Labor Party, with the Victorian and Tasmanian ALPs formally endorsing it at the state conferences … now we’re seeing it on the Liberal side also,” he said.
“I do hope Tony Abbott will listen to the members of his own party, as well as the general public, and realise that there is growing support for same-sex marriage.”
The proposal crossed the threshold of 100 registered supporters to receive a response from a shadow parliamentary secretary in just four days and is now in the running to receive a response from the relevant shadow minister should another 400 supporters sign up.
At the time of writing. the proposal was the fourth most commented idea on the website, with more than 700 non-registered members of the public voting ‘yes’ on it. Fewer than 100 had voted ‘no’.
Greenwich encouraged gay members of the Liberal Party to register their support on the website.
“There are gay and lesbian members of the Liberal Party. and the Liberal Party is a party of a number of different views,” he said.
“As members of the Liberal Party and members of our community I’d really encourage them to do that and make their voices heard.”
Greenwich said making the community aware of candidates who supported same-sex marriage would be a priority for AME during the federal election campaign period.
Commonsense Conservative
Gay marriage is inevitable, yes it may take a few years but its going to happen so you may a well accept it. Here is some statistics to back up my claim that gay marriage is inevitable:
A nationwide Galaxy poll was conducted in June 2009 for Australian Marriage Equality which measured the opinions of 1100 Australians aged 16 or older. The poll found that 60% of Australians would support same-sex marriage, with 36% opposed. It also found that 58% of Australians would support the recognition of same-sex marriages formed in other countries in Australian law. The results suggested that support was strongest in New South Wales and weakest in Queensland and South Australia, though a majority in all states were in support.
The nationwide survey of 1100 respondents carried out by Galaxy Research found females (68 per cent) were more likely to support gay marriage than males (53 per cent), while Australians aged 16 to 24 (74 per cent) were more likely to agree than those aged 25 to 34 (71 per cent), 35-49 (68 per cent) or 50 and over (45 per cent).
Greens voters (82 per cent) were more likely to agree than those who vote for the ALP (64 per cent) and the Coalition (50 per cent).
Attitudes also split according to income levels. While 66 per cent of white-collar workers backed the change, that figure fell to 55 per cent for blue-collar workers.
Just because the Liberal party is consertive does not mean that we should just give up on advocating for marriage equality.
Also, Warren Entsch is running again at the upcoming Election.
We should all go back to my initial point, this article highlights some sort of non existent groundswell of support of Gay Marriage within the Liberal Party. Galaxy polls, and any other phone polls aren’t representative of the entire Liberal voting base. A few members do not speak for the entire party, no matter what their position. As for Warren Entsch, he’s no longer an MP, voted out last election.
Groundswell support is what the Nationals experienced when they were the only party against the ETS. The Liberals then experienced the same thing when Abbott was installed as leader, and rejected the ETS as policy. That’s groundswell support, not 1000 anonymous people ticking the ‘I like’ box on their website, that particular page has been reduced to name calling from both sides, so I don’t recommend looking at it.
Editor’s note: Just to correct, Warren Entsch retired at the last election. He was not voted out as stated here.
I am not holding my breath!!!!!
And read the first two comments here:
https://starobserver.com.au/news/2010/05/05/libs-granted-conscience-vote-on-relationship-register/24881
I had forgotten about the role some Liberals have played in the Aussie ‘gay liberation’ timeline.
Commonsense Conservative,
I’m old enough to have lived through all the Menzies years. I was also a member of the Liberal Party and a senior office holder in my local branch for many, many years. Oh, and prior to that I was a Young Lib.
Let me assure you that the Liberal Party today is not the party of Sir Robert Menzies. Some proof of that is that ex-PM Fraser is now considered a leftie by many! I have no hesitation in saying I believe Menzies would have very little to do with the Liberal Party as know it today.
I would even go so far as to say that in many ways, not all of course, today’s ALP federal government is somewhat to the right of Liberal governments up until the Howard years.
@ Commonsense Conservative-
“I just find it offensive that the relationship that those people have should be deemed anything other than totally legitimate.”
Howard Government Parliamentary Secretary, Warren Entsch, expressing his support for same-sex marriage in September of 2004.
I don’t wish to argue about finer points, but you have put words in my mouth.
I never said Australia was a Judeo-Christian state, that’s just not true, what I did say was that it has strong foundations in those traditions and beliefs. Further to that, I know the Liberals aren’t a Judeo-Christian Party (I wouldn’t vote for them if they were), however like before alot of the beliefs borrow from those of traditional social conservative values, hence their opposition to Gay Marriage at present.
I put it you Alan Greenwich, that you should name any MP of the Coalition that is in support of Gay Marriage, because as far as I’m concerned no member would be vocal with these views, if they held them. They wouldn’t dare risk castigation by senior members. It’s all well and true that you can say you know MPs, but without proof, it is far from believable.
Your referencing to Conservative politics is commendable, however, the roots of the current Liberal Party, grew out of fear and hatred of socialism and communisim, and in the 1950s these ideologies were rife within the Labor Party and affiliated unions. Sir Menzies was able to drive home the message that citizens would lose the very happiness and prosperity they enjoyed under the guise of governmental powers. Whilst I see your point, you are taking a long bow with conservative politics.
@The “Commonsense” “Conservative”
The fact is there is support for same-sex marriage with the Liberal Party. Galaxy polling last year showed about 50% of Liberal voters support it. I know many Liberals, including some in Parliament that support same-sex marriage.
Australia is not a Judeo-Christian state, and we have a separation of church and state in this country.
The Liberal Party is not an exclusively Christian party, it is a party of many beliefs and values. Some of these views are being expressed on their website.
Anyone who understands the true roots of conservative politics knows that it is not about the bible, but about the individual being empowered to make his or her own decision without the interference of big government. What you are referencing is the politics of the bigoted Religious Right… All we want is Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott not telling us how to live our lives based on their prejudice.
PS. I also assure you Kevin Rudd is no mate of mine, even he will tell you that.
I find it rather odd, that anybody thinks that Liberal Party policy should be changed by some apparent ‘groundswell’ of support of gay marriage. Constant preaching about basic ‘Human Rights’ is abhorrent, nobody gave us rights, that is self entitlement right there. We are privileged to live in this society. A 1020 of unknown people who vote ‘I like’ to an idea can hardly measure as a groundswell in support, the validity of this survey is at best limited, anybody can vote, hence it is not necessarily members who approve.
This article also neglects the fact that this country was built around the traditional Judeo-Christian beliefs, in which homosexuality is not apart of. Whilst times have certainly shifted, the roots are still there. What is a tree without it’s roots?
The Liberal Party is a CONSERVATIVE party, hence it too has ideals that are heavily borrowing from the belief system I mention above. Your article also fails to mention any member or MP that has been vocal in this cause.
It doesn’t help your cause much either, that your mate Rudd, is a social conservative, he’ll never support Gay Marriage either.
Alex Greenwich can hardly be a reference for the view points of Liberal party supporters.
It’ll be a long long time before gay marriage is approved by the status quo.
For interested readers, the relevant section of the Liberal Party website can be found here- http://www.liberal.org.au/Issues/Community/Government-Democracy/Ideas/2010/04/18/Allow-gay-marriage.aspx