Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has got his way on same-sex marriage, after shadow Cabinet yesterday decided to back Abbott’s opposition to a conscience vote on the issue, leaving marriage equality advocates disappointed but nevertheless quietly confident that the decision will be revisited in the near future.
The Coalition’s position on the issue comes as Loree Rudd, the sister of Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd, revealed today that she had handed in her Labor membership following the ALP’s recent decision to make marriage equality part of its policy platform.
Abbott’s position has angered some senior Coalition MPs who claim their leader ruled out a conscience vote during a national television interview on Sunday only days after suggesting otherwise to them in private messages, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.
High-profile Liberal MPs Malcolm Turnbull, George Brandis, Christopher Pyne were all said to be in shock after Abbott had earlier signalled to them that while the Coalition would not change its official policy on marriage equality that he would allow a free vote on the issue when a private member’s bill is introduced into Federal Parliament next year.
During yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, Joe Hockey, Bruce Billson, Greg Hunt and Nigel Scullion also gave their support for a conscience vote to be held. Abbott said that his continued opposition to a conscience vote rests with promises that every Coalition MP made before the last election to keep marriage between a man and a woman, The Age reports.
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