Monday May 29th 2017

 

 

Equality advocates have called on Government backbenchers who support marriage equality to introduce a private members bill on the issue in the wake of a private members bill on penalty rates from backbencher George Christiansen. 

 

Mr Christensen's bill runs against Government policy, as would a marriage equality bill despite growing support for the reform in Government ranks.

 

Just.equal spokesperson, Brian Greig, said, 

 

"A Liberal private members bill on marriage equality could help break the current impasse on the issue by prompting the Government to revisit the issue of a free vote." 

 

"It also opens up the possibility of Liberals crossing the floor and the bill passing that way." 

 

"Liberals who help achieve marriage equality before the election will be rewarded by their voters and will cement a place for themselves in history." 

 

Mr Greig added that Mr Christensen has upended the case for a marriage equality plebiscite. 

 

"With Mr Christiansen producing a bill at odds with Government policy, he can no longer hide behind the excuse that there should be a plebiscite because it is Government policy."