In a marathon party-room debate on Tuesday night, the Coalition decided against granting its members of parliament a free vote on marriage equality before the general election.
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.
Tony Abbott said after the meeting: “We will keep faith with the electorate. We will maintain our existing position for the life of this parliament. But our disposition going into the next election, should we win the next election, will be to put to it the people in the next term of parliament.”
As Guardian Australia’s deputy political editor, Katharine Murphy, wrote in her five-point summary of the vote late last night:
- The Coalition’s position is now: Vote for us and we’ll defend heterosexual marriage until we won’t, which is after the next federal election.
- The Coalition will absolutely defend heterosexual marriage by denying a conscience vote in this parliament.
- But possibly we’ll grant a free vote to our MPs in the next parliament because the next parliament will be different for reasons that are hard to currently articulate.
- Or possibly we’ll have a plebiscite.
- Or possibly a constitutional referendum, even though we don’t actually require one of those to change the Marriage Act.
Many people were upset by last night’s decision: Australians hoping to marry not least among them. Some on social media suggested that Coalition frontbenchers cross the floor; others wondered whether, even given a free vote, the necessary legislation would pass.
One caller this morning to Jon Faine’s ABC Melbourne talkback show summarised just how urgent the issue is for many people:
Caller on @774melbourne in tears saying he doesn't know he'll live long enough to be allowed to marry his long term partner. Heartbreaking.
— Jill Stark (@jillastark) August 11, 2015
Was last night’s vote merely a temporary setback? How do you feel about the standard of debate? What can be done now? Or does Tony Abbott have a case? Jump in the thread and let us know.
