More ALP right-wingers, including a factional convener, have spoken out against liberalising the party’s stand against gay marriage, as senior Labor figures are trying to contain a potentially distracting fresh outbreak of the debate.
Don Farrell, one of the Right’s conveners and a parliamentary secretary, said Labor should stick with its present opposition to same-sex marriage.
This followed New South Wales backbencher John Murphy, from the Right, this week strongly opposing change.
NSW senator Ursula Stephens said there was a massive email campaign under way, mostly in favour of changing the policy. Opposing change, she said: ”We’ve done everything we can to remove discrimination. But marriage is about a relationship between a man and a woman. Marriage is about producing children.”
Treasurer Wayne Swan said the issue would be debated at the ALP national conference in December. Pressed on his personal attitude, he said: ”My view is that marriage is between a man and a woman.”
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