Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott As Australians go to the polls today the National-Liberal coalition looks set to win by a significant majority over Labour, leaving the battle for marriage equality to rage on for some years yet. Marriage equality has featured regularly in the sometimes vitriolic campaign, with Labour leader Kevin Rudd experiencing a sudden change of heart on the subject in recent days. Reflecting on his own marriage, Rudd said: "No matter who we love, we should all be able to make the same promise I was able to make to Therese," he said. "If you support gay marriage, I will need your support in this election... it's time for marriage equality." Rudd says his changed view came about when he was convinced that being homosexual is not a 'life choice.' The Labour rank and file, however, are significantly split for and against the issue. National-Liberal coalition leader Tony Abbott and most in his conservative coalition are against marriage equality. In recent days he has said he does not believe marriage equality is inevitable, likening the push to the failed bid for Australia to become a republic. "There were many a few years ago who kept telling us a republic is inevitable," he said. "If this country lasts for a thousand years quite possibly at some point we might be a republic, but I don't think a republic is inevitable anytime soon and similarly I don't see same sex marriage as inevitable." Abbott's frequent sexually gauche comments do not appear to have affected his electability. He has referred to the call for marriage equality "a fad" and has made frequent borderline sexist comments. His latest gaffe was in a video played to inmates of the TV Big Brother house in which he suggested they should vote for him because he is the one with good-looking daughters. He also recently publicly praised one of his fellow candidates for her sex appeal.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Saturday, 7th September 2013 - 8:10am