The Australian Marriage Equality organisation immediately called for the plebiscite to be held at the next federal election “to give the next government a mandate to enact marriage equality”.
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“There is the prospect of change in the next term of parliament if that is the will of the Australian people”, Abbott told ABC Radio.
“This is a responsible and achievable target”, Abbott said.
The tactical success over gay marriage could prove politically costly as Abbott struggles to keep his footing following a series of perceived gaffes and amid a sagging economy.
Nearly half of Abbott’s ministers were reported to have voted in the six-hour closed party meeting in favour of allowing a conscience vote.
Around 90 people spoke, including 30 frontbenchers, a majority of whom supported a free vote.
The Prime Minister’s handling of yesterday’s events has been criticised by many as “messy” with one senior Liberal telling the ABC that it as “madness”.
Labor’s happy for climate change to be on the agenda, and backbencher Tim Watts on Tuesday reminded parliament of Abbott’s 2009 description of the science as “absolute crap”. He indicated that if re-elected, his government may allow Australians to decide on whether to legalize same-sex marriages through a referendum or plebiscite.
Australia has low-priced coal resources and has been enthusiastically promoting exports of the carbon fuel, especially to China and India.
Abbott said that after the next election due in 2016 there could be a referendum or plebiscite on the issue of gay marriage.
The combined party meeting (Liberals and Nationals) rather than just a Liberal party meeting, which he sprang on the joint party room without talking to his Cabinet first, was described by Christopher Pyne as “branch stacking”, an attempt to ensure that the vote would go against changing the party position.
“Labor will introduce a bill for marriage equality and I am confident if we win the election, there will be sufficient votes in this country to finally remove discrimination against people”.
Despite growing public support for same-sex marriage, with a poll last year finding those in favour of equal rights had reached a record high of 72 percent, Australia has not yet legalised marriage equality. The presence of right-wing coalition partner The Nationals overwhelmed support for a free vote among Abbott’s Liberals by a ratio two to one.
HRC has worked closely with Australian Marriage Equality and other advocates on the ground as they fight to make Australia the next country to open its doors to same-sex marriage.
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“We’ve got to reduce our emissions but we’ve got to reduce our emissions in ways which are consistent with continued strong growth”, conservative Prime Minister Tony Abbott told reporters Tuesday, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
