Warren Entsch: all I’m asking for is a bloody vote
Image: Warren Entsch (Supplied photo)
Liberal MP Warren Entsch has called out the way the marriage equality debate has unfolded聽in Australia, advising colleagues of his that have condemned his advocacy for a free vote聽to “have the balls to actually put their names to it”, the has reported.
Recent reports have suggested that four Liberal MPs including Entsch, Trevor Evans, Tim Wilson, and Trent Zimmerman may cross the floor on the issue when it comes to a head in parliament, in light of a private members’ bill that has聽been 聽by Liberal Senator Dean Smith and will likely be introduced this month.
The news has prompted many conservative MPs to anonymously suggest that by crossing the floor the four men could face pre-selection challenges.
Entsch said he’d read about the threats from the Prime Minister that had come from anonymous sources.
“They haven’t got the balls to actually put their names to it,” he said.
“And in all fairness and accuracy, the Prime Minister has not called me. Not at all. His office hasn’t called up.
“And if they had the balls like we had, to stand up and state our position and be accountable of it 鈥� then it goes to the level of individual that they are.”
Entsch added that the best way to handle the issue is to have a free vote.
“All I am asking for is to have a bloody vote,” he said.
“Many of my colleagues have asked for that and I have accommodated, or facilitated their right to have a vote, even though I might have voted on the other side, I gave them the opportunity to have a vote out of respect.
“I’m聽not asking them to change their vote, I am not asking them 鈥� they can abstain. I am just asking to have a vote and I think whatever the outcome of that vote I am more than happy to abide by that decision.”
搁别补诲听 on how marriage equality could be achieved in Australia within weeks.
Thanks Arthur! we also called several Liberal MP’s and Senators & would you believe some even called back! Every little bit helps, so please give it a go, let them know how important a free vote is to us.
Warren Entsch is a down-to-earth traditional Liberal who (unlike so many in his party, it turns out) understands traditional Liberalism.
Traditional conservatives and Liberals know that ducking the political issue and just handing it over to the masses, about 2-4 percent of whom are actually planning on being in same sex marriages at some point and for the other 96% it will make no tangible difference to their lives, is a disgraceful rejection of their core Liberal philosophy.
The postal plebiscite seems increasingly inevitable. As a bit of statistical methodology, it is a terrible process. Any statistician will confirm that a well-designed randomised survey with a sufficient sample size will deliver a more accurate result of the public’s views than a non-compulsory postal ballot, as well as being a hell of a lot cheaper when it comes to spending taxpayer dollars. Add in the technical difficulties of getting the postal ballots to the people (and not just their letterbox) and the likelihood that unlike elections/referenda in Australia the postal ballot will have no open scrutineering of ballots and this is fraught.
It is a mindbogglingly stupid policy being adopted by the mindbogglingly stupid. Warren Entsch is quite reasonably trying not to be counted among their number. Good on him.
Hi,
I just emailed the four liberal MP’s/Senator to thank them for their support of same-sex marriage in Australia and hope that they are successful in helping to get a free vote in federal parliament next week. I would suggest that people also contact Liberal/National members of federal parliament to voice their approval of a free vote in federal parliament. What’s a few minutes of your time on such an important, and simple issue.
Regards,
Arthur