Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has repeatedly been questioned about his stance against gay marriage at a community forum in Sydney.
About 500 people attended the question and answer session with the opposition leader on Monday night in the beachside suburb of Manly, part of Mr Abbott’s local electorate of Warringah.
In what was a wide ranging question and answer session, Mr Abbott fielded questions on topics including immigration, tax, education, climate change and superannuation.
He was also repeatedly urged to allow coalition MPs a conscience vote on gay marriage.
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“I’d like to know when you’re going to allow a conscience vote on marriage equality,” Mr Abbott was asked by a member of the crowd.
“My position on this is fairly well known. I’m fairly traditional. I support the standard definition of marriage as between a man and a woman,” replied Mr Abbott, who opposes changing the Marriage Act.
“That is our party’s position,” he later added.
He said coalition policy on the issue would not change in the lead up to September’s federal election.
He said coalition policy on marriage equality after the election was “a matter for the post election party room”.
Mr Abbott also used the forum to criticise the Gillard government’s proposed multibillion dollar reforms to the education sector.
“We need better schools, we need better universities, but I just don’t know if we can trust the current government to deliver it,” he said.
He also defended the current skilled migration scheme and the use of 457 visas.
“Where you genuinely can’t find someone, you should be able to bring someone in,” he said.
“They are invariably more expensive than a local worker.”
At one point, Mr Abbott rebuked a member of the audience for labelling the prime minister a “horrible woman”.
“It’s important that everyone in this audience and everyone in our polity generally be given a polite hearing,” he said.
Author: AAP
Publication: The Sydney Morning Herald
Publication Date: April 16 2013