Marriage equality advocates have welcomed today’s Queensland State Labor conference’s decision that all Labor MPs should uphold the party’s pro-marriage equality policy.
A motion calling on all Labor MPs to vote for marriage equality was passed overwhelmingly in today’s conference.
Queensland Labor now joins Tasmanian Labor in supporting the move away from Labor’s current policy of a conscience vote.
National director of Australian Marriage Equality, Rodney Croome, said,
“An overwhelming majority of Labor voters support marriage equality, and it is disheartening to them that the politicians they elect are allowed to ignore party policy and vote against the reform.”
“It is consistent with Labor Party rules that all Labor members should vote for marriage equality because it is a human rights issue, not an issue of life or death like abortion or euthanasia.”
The delegate who moved the successful motion, Nick Thompson, said,
“We’re heartened by the overwhelming support that Conference has shown towards a binding vote on equality and I look forward to the national conference next year where we hope to see further changes towards a binding vote nationally.”
The motion’s seconder, Pat O’Neill, said,
“By acknowledging that equality isn’t a conscience issue, the Queensland Labor conference has acknowledged that the human experience of love, marriage and family is universal, as are human rights.”
Currently, Labor MPs are allowed a conscience vote, while Coalition policy is wholly against marriage equality.
For more information contact Rodney Croome on 0409 010 668 or Nick Thompson on 0406 549 250.
Author: Rodney Croome
Publication: Media Release
Date: 24 August 2014