Plibersek: Move To Make Labor MPs Vote For Same-Sex Marriage Is About Ending Discrimination

Labor Party’s deputy leader Tanya Plibersek contended that conscience votes must be restricted to issues like euthanasia and abortion. But on marriage equality, Plibersek said a binding vote is about “ending discrimination.”

Plibersek earned the ire of many MPs after announcing she will force the Labor MPs in July to cast a binding vote on same-sex marriage instead of a conscience vote. Plibersek’s initiative did not have good reception because the parliamentary is yet to vote on the matter.

Senator Dean Smith, while favouring same-sex marriage, felt disappointed because according to him, if that happens then the conscience vote in the Liberal Party is extinguished. Smith explained that “conservatives who oppose same-sex marriage and a conscience vote will be sitting pretty” and Plibersek will be the first among the conservatives’ argument.

“This has put the cause back and she needs to explain herself to same-sex marriage proponents. There has been a slow and cautious approach to achieving a conscience vote and she has wrecked that,” Smith said.

Senator David Leyonhjelm, a Liberal Democrat, also rejected Plibersek’s move, saying “nobody should be forced to vote against their values” and the conscience vote is a privilege that all politicians must enjoy. Resonating Leyonhjelm and Smith’s opinion was Josh Frydenberg from Liberal Party. Frydenberg said that based on the history of similar movements, it is likely that over time, gay marriage will be integrated into “Australian way of life.”

However, Plibersek believes the Labor Party should assume a stronger position to favour the legalisation of same-sex marriage. She reasoned out that at the present, the issue on same-sex marriage is at a stalemate for years and it will persist as long as the Labor Party affords its MPs a conscience vote, while the Coalition does not.

Plibersek said she was surprised that in the 20^th century she had to splurge in persuading a “progressive” party to favour equal marriage. She argued she is in pursuit of such path because she speculated it was a party policy and the issue on the conscience vote was an error that could be easily rectified.

Plibersek narrated how MPs reacted when she told them everyone should vote for equal marriage. She said “hardly anyone said ‘duh’ and a couple of people even said ‘maybe we shouldn’t.’” Plibersek claimed she had to go out and check the door sign in case she was on the wrong room.

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