Tony Abbott Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has cast doubt on marriage equality legislation coming before Parliament, despite an assertion from a senior Liberal that it’s is likely coalition MPs will be allowed a conscience vote on the issue. Liberal MP Malcolm Turnbull said if he were given a free vote, he would certainly vote in favour of a marriage equality bill. "I think it is likely that we will (have a free vote), but as Tony Abbott has said, it is a decision for the party room, not for him," he told Sky News. He said Australia is lagging behind other countries. "So people of the same sex can get married in Auckland and Wellington, Toronto and Ottawa and Vancouver, in New York and Los Angeles, and Baltimore, in Cape Town, but not Australia," Mr Turnbull said. "It does start to look as if we're the ones out of step." However Abbot has responded by saying he doesn’t think marriage equality legislation will even make it before Parliament. "I'm not expecting any legislation to come before the parliament because when legislation came before the last parliament it was fairly decisively dealt with," he’s told Australian media. “But if legislation comes before the parliament, it will be considered by our party room in the usual way.” Deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek has announced she will introduce a private member's bill to legalise gay marriage, but only if Abbott allows a conscience vote.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Monday, 16th December 2013 - 10:50am