WA Parliament becomes second state to officially support free vote on marriage equality, oppose plebiscite
WESTERN Australia’s Liberal Premier has publicly expressed opposition to a聽national plebiscite on marriage equality, arguing it could prove “destructive”.
听补蹿迟别谤 joined its in passing a motion that calls on Federal Parliament to adopt a free vote on marriage equality.
[showads聽ad=MREC]Longtime marriage equality campaigner,聽Maylands state聽Labor MP Lisa Baker, had moved a motion urging WA聽Parliament to聽support marriage equality and pressuring聽federal parliament to follow suit.
However, after debate聽the lower house聽passed聽an amended motion urging the Federal Government to abandon plans for a plebiscite on marriage equality and to 鈥渦rgently鈥� hold a free vote instead.
During the debate, Premier Colin Barnett said:聽“If this issue were to go to a referendum or plebiscite, I think that would be very destructive.
“I think we would see some of the worst signs of Australian society. I do not believe that should happen.
“I think you would see people marching in the street on either side of the debate. I think you’d find acrimony, personal insults, abuse and the like.
“I do not want to see this issue go to a referendum or indeed a plebiscite.”
Barnett聽has previously stated his rather than聽marriage equality.
Nonetheless, advocates have welcomed Barnett’s comments聽and聽the motion from WA Parliament’s聽Legislative Assembly.
“A free vote on marriage equality is the quickest, cheapest, least divisive and most appropriate way to resolve the issue,” Australian Marriage Equality national director Rodney Croome said.
NSW’s Legislative Assembly passed a similar motion unanimously in June, when Tony Abbott was still Prime Minister.
New 鈥� who has stated his support for the Liberals to adopt a conscience vote in 鈥� has said he would not pursue a free vote on marriage equality, and that any amendment to the federal Marriage Act would be聽鈥渄etermined by a vote of the people, all the people, via a plebiscite鈥�.
摆蝉丑辞飞补诲蝉听补诲=贵翱翱罢闭
What a total waste of taxpayers money. $160 million dollars can fix our hospitals, roads/highways and schools – lets not waste money on a non-binding “plebiscite” vote. The Liberal bigoted government will just ignore it anyway! This is the same party that spent over $5 million, for the Liberal government to fight the ACT 2013 marriage laws, they passed all the way to the High Court of Australia.
Do not ever be fooled by Malcolm [Turn-table] Turnbull – he might support marriage equality himself, but his whole LNP party mates do not! Labor will introduce a marriage equality bill in the first 100 days of parliament! But I personally think that is just spin, remember – they had there chance back in 2010 and blew it out of the water with Labors Julia Gillard and the Bob Brown Greens Alliance!
Vote 1 Greens!
Yay, Dubba-u-whay, we’re soooo Gaaaaay.
Congrats to Lisa Baker for her strong actions in this area. I would not be the only person eager to hear Malcolm’s response and next move. Surely this plus NSW ‘s similar stance and the Senate report strongly recommending NO plebiscite, supports the logical switch back to a conscience vote. I would imagine $160 million could be put to better use than a crappy, divisive and totally demeaning plebiscite!