A strong majority of voters in key regional Coalition-held seats want a free vote on marriage equality.
The poll, conducted by Reachtel on Sunday night and coming ahead of today’s Coalition party room meeting, showed support ranging between 64 and 69%.
Australian Marriage Equality national director, Rodney Croome, said,
“Clearly, voters in these key regional seats want a free and open debate on marriage equality, and don’t want their MP restricted to a party line.”
“The message to the local MPs is to back a marriage equality free vote so debate can occur in a non-partisan way.”
“The message to Tony Abbott is to allow a free vote as soon as possible if he wants to keep the Coalition’s stocks high in those seats he needs to stay in government.”
In Michelle Landry’s central Queensland seat of Capricornia 64% of voters support a marriage equality free vote with 21% opposed. In the outer Melbourne seat of La Trobe, held by Jason Woods, support is 67% with 18% opposed.
In Karen Andrews’ Gold Coast seat of McPherson, support for a free vote is at 69% with 20% opposed, and in the northern NSW seat of Lyne held by David Gillespie there is 65% support for a free vote with 22% opposed.
The major obstacle to marriage equality remains the absence of a Coalition free vote on the issue. Today’s Coalition party room meeting follows the introduction of marriage equality legislation by Labor leader, Bill Shorten, yesterday.
A copy of the Reachtel poll is attached.
For more information contact Rodney Croome on 0409 010 668.
Author: Rodney Croome
Publication: AME Media release
Date: 2 June 2015