Advocates have welcomed a written pledge from Labor candidate for the Melbourne seat of Batman, David Feeney, to vote for marriage equality in the next term of government.
The pledge follows the unveiling last Thursday of AME’s election website which listed Mr Feeney as not having voted for marriage equality, as well as the announcement that AME intended to leaflet the seat of Batman where Mr Feeney is a candidate.
Australian Marriage Equality, Victorian convener, Tim Peppard, said,
“We welcome David Feeney’s pledge to vote for marriage equality because it shows is he a strong and committed supporter of reform.”
“Because marriage equality will be achieved through a conscience vote it is important for supporters of reform to be sure candidates not only support reform but will vote for it.”
Mr Feeney was absent from the vote on a Labor marriage equality bill in the Senate in September last year due to portfolio business, however, he did speak in the Senate in favour of the Bill. Earlier this year, he voted against a bill to recognise overseas same-sex marriages because he believed it would disadvantage couples who could not afford to travel overseas or were unable to do so for health reasons.
In a letter to Australian Marriage Equality (attached), Mr Feeney wrote,
“I believe that placing a restriction on marriage so that it can only occur between a man and a woman is not relevant to a modern, secular society. What is important is that when people find a loving relationship, they are afforded the dignity and respect of that relationship from their fellow Australians.”
“I pledge to vote for the marriage equality bill that the Prime Minister has committed to introducing into Parliament, if our Labor Government is re-elected. If our Government is not re-elected, I pledge to vote for any reasonable marriage equality bill that comes before Parliament, providing it supports full equality, does not compel religious organisations to conduct ceremonies against their faith and if I am permitted a conscience vote by my Party.”
Mr Peppard said over 15,000 people have so far accessed information on the AME election website, www.vote4love.com.au.
AME will now not leaflet Batman, but still intends to leaflet the Melbourne electorate of Wills where the Labor candidate Kelvin Thompson remains opposed to marriage equality.
For more information contact Tim Peppard on 0438 380 000 or Rodney Croome on 0409 010 668.
Author: Tim Peppard
Publication: AME Media Release
Date: 20 August 2013
