- PAUL HOWES BACKS BINDING GAY MARRIAGE VOTE FOR ALP
- CALL ON LABOR TO PROTECT ACT MARRIAGE EQUALITY LAWS
- FORUM TO DISCUSS WAY FORWARD FOR REFORM
Australian Marriage Equality (AME) has welcomed calls from AWU National Secretary, Paul Howes, for the ALP to have a binding party vote position in support of marriage equality.
In a speech released in advance of AME’s “The Future of Marriage Equality Forum” to be delivered tonight, Mr Howes Said:
“The Australian Labor Party’s current position and my view at Labor’s last National Conference on marriage equality is wrong. By designating marriage equality as a conscience vote issue, we have allowed ourselves to make a basic category error; one which I believe fundamentally grates with what it is that the Labor Party stands for. It is not an issue of individual conscience; it is a matter of basic social justice… In the lead up to the next National Conference of the Labor Party, I am hopeful that many others like me who mistakenly supported a conscience vote will realise the errors of their ways.”
Australian Marriage Equality Chair, Alex Greenwich, said:
“Mr Howes’ desire for Labor to provide the maximum number of votes possible for reform is a great sign of respect for same-sex couples and their families. This will be warmly welcomed by the grass-roots of the Labor party who strongly support reform because they value fairness and equality”
Mr Greenwich said at the next ALP national conference the party has the opportunity to move to a binding vote on marriage equality. This would increase the number of MPs voting for marriage equality:
“A binding ALP position would mean only 16 Coalition votes would be needed for marriage equality to become law. Many high profile government members have already said they want to vote for reform including Malcolm Turnbull, Kelly O’Dwyer, Arthur Sinodinos, Simon Birmingham and Wyatt Roy, and we hope Tony Abbott will let them.”
Australian Marriage Equality Deputy Director, Ivan Hinton, said of immediate concern was the way the ALP will deal with any Federal Government plans to overturn the ACT’s soon to be legislated marriage equality laws:
“Building on from Mr Howes statement, we also need the Federal Labor Party to commit to join the Greens in blocking any federal government attempts to overturn the forthcoming ACT marriage equality laws”
“The ACT Labor Party went to their recent election committing to deliver marriage equality. Their Federal Labor counterparts hold the key to protecting the territory’s right to legislate for what ACT voters want”.
Tonight’s forum “The Future of Marriage Equality” will involve a panel discussion with Paul Howes, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, Alex Greenwich MP, Clr Christine Forster, and AME’s Ivan Hinton. Full details HERE.
For more information contact Ivan Hinton on 0419 124 826 or Alex Greenwich on 0458 042 342