Marriage equality advocates are calling on Deputy Coalition Leader and federal MP for Curtin, Julie Bishop, to support marriage equality after the new WA Liberal MP for the over-lapping state seat supported reform.

Australian Marriage Equality WA convener, Brian Greig, said,

“We congratulate newly-elected Liberal state MP, Eleni Evangel, for supporting marriage equality and call on Julie Bishop to do the same given their electorates cover a similar area and demographic.”

“Ms Evangel shows that marriage equality has support across the community including in ethnic communities where it is wrongly assumed support is low.”

Ms Bishop described Ms Evengel as having “very strong links to the community,” when she co-hosted the ABC’s WA election night coverage with Federal MP for Perth Stephen Smith.

“This merely reinforces the fact that the community is far ahead of the coalition on the question of marriage equality.”

“With Premier Colin Barnett allowing a conscience vote and Eleni Evangel supporting reform, the WA Liberals are leading where the federal Liberals should follow.”

In 2011 Ms Bishop conducted a poll in her electorate which found that over 80% of residents support marriage equality.

For more information contact Brian Greig on 0407776961.