POLL: Marriage equality: binding vote vs conscience vote

12 responses to “POLL: Marriage equality: binding vote vs conscience vote”

1. You’d trust s political party to have a say over your life?

2. So according to this poll, 95% of SSO readers SUPPORT marriage equality!

3. I have an idea, lets just repeal the whole Marriage Act 1961 and this issue of same -sex marriage will be dead, buried and cremated! Some states in the US have introduced bills to abolish both civil marriage and marriage licences!

4. There should be no votes along party lines. All votes should in accordances with the wished of the relevant electorate. The politicians are only there to represent their electorate. This appears to have been backed up by the ICAC in its investigation into corruption in Wollongong City Council where it found that caucasing was a corrupt practice. Surly this applies to State and Federla Parliaments as well.

   • Why should the electorates have a say over who I marry? I don’t tell them who to marry.

5. I think a conscience vote is the best way to go. Forcing people to vote one way or another is never a good idea in the long run because you want a lasting ruling the majority support. I worry by forcing the issue the result will only be later overturned anyway. You need to bring people with you on your journey, not kidnap them.

   • In Canada it was passed, and within 6 months a conservative government was elected with a commitment to revisit it – but when it came time to try to repeal it, marriage equality was supported by an even larger majority of MPs. Once this is passed, the community will move on (esp given how many Australians are already behind it) and therefore there is very little danger in it being repealed. #ItsTimeToBind

   • I understand your point, Alastair. This isn’t Canada though and look what happened in the ACT. Even in the USA, State law may well be challenged after the next electoral cycle. The best ‘Binding’ result is one where the voters and politician’s are able to exercise democratic ‘will of the people’. Interfering with that leaves option for doubt which can lead to winding back the law. I really do believe it best to encourage a conscience vote on all sides so politician’s can say they did what their electorate wanted without reprisal. The road to change is long and we do have time on our side. Forcing the issue could end up being more harmful in the long run. I’m happy to be proven wrong, of course.

     • I agree Sean – this isn’t Canada. This is ten years later, and we have a far, far higher level of public support for marriage equality in Australia now, than there was in Canada in 2005. It would be a crazy-brave/stupid government that, once thousands of couples have been married around the country,, would try to annul them all. It almost certainly won’t happen.

   • I find it abhorrent that it should weigh on someone’s conscience whether a same-sex couple should marry. If you fully accept gay people, as modern Australia apparently already has, you accept marriage equality.

6. I’m a conservative: I favour a conscience vote

   • Your a conservative – means your a dickhead!