“It’s my view… that our Liberal MPs, our Coalition MPs… should have been given the opportunity to vote with their consciences on this”.
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The numbers against a free vote were bolstered by most of the 21 Nationals MPs and senators.
Some television network have refused to carry anti-same-sex marriage advertising and the owners of Canberra’s airport made their feelings known as MPs returned to the capital after a six-week recess on Monday.
“That’s a pretty strong reflection (of the party’s opposition) but unfortunately it actually reflects in nearly opposite fashion what the polls will say, the Australian people believe about this issue”.
“But even with some support I don’t think the support is there to seeit succeed”, Entsch said.
“And frankly, prior to that, it would never have occurred to anyone in our culture and civilisation that marriage was not between a man and a woman”, he said.
“Obviously for us and for many Australians this is a really important thing”.
A RUTHLESSLY determined Tony Abbott has got his way on gay marriage. Jump in the thread and let us know.
“We’ve got to see the bill first and wait for the dust to settle from yesterday”.
Mr Abbott opened the door to a plebiscite or referendum on gay marriage, insisting it should be the decision of the Australian people.
The possibility of a plebiscite has been floated; so has the idea that Australia shouldn’t have marriage equality because celebrity fashion designers Dolce and Gabbana don’t want to be married.
The news comes after months of intensified media coverage and pressure from advocates for the Coalition to adopt a conscience vote on marriage equality.
“We are the highest polluters per head of population in the OECD, so we do have a substantial amount of work to do”, Mr Butler said. “They were literally making it up as they went along”.
Mr Abbott has signalled a referendum or a conscience vote may be held on the same-sex marriage debate after the next election.
“The next election has to be about much the broader interests to Australian people”.
Tony Abbott’s gay marriage stance has been slammed by Labor leader Bill Shorten and leadership rival Malcolm Turnbull after he quashed a free-vote on the matter, only to push a plebiscite.
“Not at all”, Hockey replied.
Additionally, the political tactics Abbott used to force this vote through have further destabilised an already chaotic party room.
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“A free vote is consistent with the foundational Liberal Party principle of individual freedom and it would be untenable for Warren Entsch and Teresa Gambaro to have co-sponsored a bill they can not vote for”.
