The Australian Senate is poised to begin debating same-sex marriage next week, triggering fresh calls for Coalition members to be granted a free vote on the legislation.
The Liberal Democratic senator, David Leyonhjelm, said his bill to provide “freedom to marry” would be debated next Thursday, although it was unlikely to come to a vote at that time.
He urged the prime minister, Tony Abbott, not to “stand in the way” of allowing Liberal-National Coalition senators to vote according to their conscience, rather than being bound to vote as a bloc against the bill.
“The time has come for the prime minister to reveal whether the word ‘Liberal’ actually means anything to him or it’s just a brand name like Datsun or Krispy Kreme,” he said.
“I support marriage equality because I believe people should have the freedom to choose their own life path – pretty much what Mr Abbott said in his first speech [to parliament].
“I’m not gay and I don’t have much interest in marriage but I strongly believe neither are matters for government intervention.”
Coalition members pushing for a conscience vote could raise the issue at their next party room meeting on Tuesday. Leyonhjelm said he hoped Coalition members would put it on the agenda.
Abbott has repeatedly affirmed his opposition to same-sex marriage but said the Coalition party room would consider its stance if a private member’s bill came before parliament.
In December, Abbott indicated Leyonhjelm’s bill may not automatically trigger a party room discussion. “Normally, opposition private members’ motions in the Senate are dealt with without a vote,” the prime minister said at the time.
“Now, if this one is different, well, obviously the party room will consider it, but if it is dealt with in the normal way, it won’t actually come before the party room. It’s only if the Senate decides, presumably through suspension of standing orders, to deal with it differently to normal private members’ business that it would then need to come before the party room.”
The Senate sets aside time to consider private senators’ bills on Thursdays of sitting weeks, but the debate is often interrupted without a formal vote and may have to resume at a future date.
Leyonhjelm’s bill would amend Australia’s Marriage Act to define marriage as “the union of two people, to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life”. At present, the law refers to a “union of a man and a woman”.
Leyonhjelm said he believed that, even with a conscience vote, the numbers in the Senate would be “close” but not enough to pass the law.
Attempts during the previous term of federal parliament to legislate to allow same-sex marriage failed. Labor MPs were granted a free vote but the Coalition members were bound to vote against the proposal.
In December 2013, Australia’s high court struck down the nation’s first same-sex marriage laws, introduced by the Australian Capital Territory government. The court found, however, that the federal parliament had the constitutional power to introduce a national law allowing same-sex couples to marry.
The communications minister, Malcolm Turnbull, who supports same-sex marriage, has sought to address concerns held by conservative members of the Liberal party that he was too leftwing on social policy to potentially return to lead the party.
“The reality is that Tony Abbott’s and my position on gay marriage is very close,” Turnbull told the ABC’s 7.30 program two weeks ago.
“Both of us believe the party room should decide whether there should be a free vote … I have no doubt that if a private member’s bill comes up, I’ve got no doubt the party room will decide there will be a free vote: that is actually the longstanding Liberal tradition.
“Now, the only difference is that Tony as an individual, not as a prime minister telling people what to do, as an individual member with the same vote as the newest backbencher would vote against it. I, as an individual member with no more vote than any backbencher, would vote for it.”
Labor’s deputy leader, Tanya Plibersek, who has also drafted a marriage equality bill, said she had been speaking to Leyonhjelm about the issue for some time.
“As I’ve said many times, I will only introduce the bill when Tony Abbott allows members of the Coalition party room a conscience vote, because that’s the only way the bill would have any prospect of succeeding,” she said.
“Again today, I call on Tony Abbott to allow members of the Coalition party room a conscience vote on this important issue, and I call on any member of the Coalition who supports marriage equality to co-sponsor my bill.”
