ONE of the Coalition MPs targeted by gay marriage campaigners has declared his support for a concience vote in the next parliament, despite not supporting gay marriage himself.
Josh Frydenberg, who holds the blue-ribbon Melbourne seat of Kooyong, yesterday told The Australian a conscience vote was crucial to allow MPs the right to express their personal views.
“I believe that people have different views on this issue, and it’s an issue of conscience, and that the Liberal Party has a proud tradition of allowing people to express their views,” he said.
He said he would not support gay marriage, preferring civil unions.
Mr Frydenberg said he did not know how many other MPs supported a conscience vote.
As The Australian revealed yesterday, the national gay marriage campaign will promote Coalition candidates who express support for gay marriage over Labor MPs who do not, in a bid to boost the number of Liberal MPs who can push Tony Abbott for a conscience vote.
The election strategy is the first time the gay lobby has promoted Coalition candidates.
Australian Marriage Equality’s national director Rodney Croome said the campaign was targeting seats “where support for marriage equality is high but the Liberal candidate doesn’t yet support reform”.
These include Melbourne Ports, held by Labor’s Michael Danby; North Sydney, held by opposition Treasury spokesman Joe Hockey; Sturt in Adelaide, held by Liberal tactician Christopher Pyne; and Brisbane, held by the Liberal National Party’s Teresa Gambaro.
The Australian understands Mr Pyne strongly supports a conscience vote. “There is no proposal for same-sex marriage before the parliament,” he said yesterday. “If there is a proposal for same-sex marriage in the future, the question of whether there will be a conscience vote will be decided then . . . I am opposed to the marriage of same-sex couples in a religious context.
“I am not opposed to the recognition of the commitment of same-sex couples to each other, for example in the way the Queensland government has recognised them.”
Ms Gambaro left the door open on what she would do if the issue came up again.
“If the matter does come up, I expect it would be debated like any other matter. I will respectfully listen to all views, reflect on the issue, talk to my community and talk to my colleagues,” she said.
The Australian Christian Lobby yesterday said Coalition uncertainty over voting policy on marriage may force many Australians to consider minor parties that were clear on the issue.
The ACL has welcomed the Opposition Leader’s “clarity on the issue” but says it is concerned proponents of redefining marriage were pressuring Coalition candidates to support watering down Coalition marriage policy.
Author: PATRICIA KARVELAS
Publication: The Australian
Publication date: 8 May 2013