Political parties stay wed to unpopular policies due to election pledges given to lobby groups perceived to be powerful at the time.
Malcolm Turnbull has made a significant contribution to the same-sex marriage debate in his Michael Kirby lecture, which was reproduced in The Canberra Times (”Family first: gay or not”, Forum, July 7, p7). The lecture was not mainly about politics, but when he turns to the politics he commits himself to vote for same-sex marriage, subject to the wording of the bill, if the Liberal Party has a free vote. But he points out that his party has resolved not to have a conscience vote and that the its policy is to oppose gay marriage.