Kevin Rudd Current Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has promised to introduce marriage equality legislation in the first 100 days of his term, should a Labor Government be re-elected. Rudd said he supported legalising same-sex marriage "as a mark of decency to same-sex couples across the country who wish the same loving, caring relationship that, for example, I have had with Therese my wife now for the last 32 years, and for that to be formalised". In comments which came in a pre-election debate with opposition leader Tony Abbot, Rudd promised Labor MPs would again have a conscience vote on the issue and he appealed to Abbott to do the same “because folk out there want this to happen". Abbott said he understood same-sex marriage was "a very important issue", acknowledging his gay sister, but saying it was not a high priority. Advocates say the debate shows how far Australia has come since the 2010 election when the leaders of both major parties vocally opposed marriage equality. Australian Marriage Equality national convener Rodney Croome says Rudd’s plan for prioritising marriage equality in the first 100 days of a Labor Government is an important step forward, but he can’t achieve this reform himself, putting the onus back on Tony Abbott to allow a conscience vote. “Our hope that Tony Abbott will allow a conscience vote has been strengthened by his declaration during the debate that marriage equality is ‘a very important issue’ and the fact he pointedly didn’t defend the status quo or argue against the reform.” Croome says he believes voters will welcome Rudd’s commitment. “Recent polling has shown Rudd’s pro-marriage equality stance is popular among younger voters, and this popularity just took a big boost.” “The message to Coalition candidates is that by opposing marriage equality you are effectively saying to young Australians ‘don’t vote for me’.” The Worm, an indicator of public response during the Leaders’ Debate, was low during Abbott’s response but shot up when Rudd spoke.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Monday, 12th August 2013 - 7:55am