TASMANIAN Liberals leader Will Hodgman will not join his state counterparts in urging federal opposition leader Tony Abbott to consider a conscience vote on gay marriage.
This week New South Wales Liberals premier Barry O’Farrell urged Mr Abbott to consider allowing federal Liberal MPs to vote as they please on marriage equality, a stance supported by Western Australian Liberals premier Colin Barnett.
But Mr Hodgman refused to be drawn into the argument yesterday, stating that a conscience vote “was a matter for Mr Abbott”.
In August last year, all 10 Tasmanian Liberal MPs voted against legislation in Tasmania’s House of Assembly to allow gay couples to marry.
A month before the vote, the ABC reported that Mr Hodgman would not allow his MPs to break rank.
But Mr Hodgman yesterday insisted that wasn’t the case.
“I have repeatedly said very clearly, including in parliament, that Liberal MPs were not denied a conscience vote,” he said.
Mr Abbott said this week that he would consider allowing a conscience vote if the coalition was elected to government in September.
More than 150 people showed their support for marriage equality yesterday at a barbecue at Ulverstone Rowing Club.
Speakers at the event included Mersey MLC Mike Gaffney MLC, Braddon MHR Sid Sidebottom and Australian Marriage Equality national convener Rodney Croome.
Author: ALEX DRUCE
Publication: The Examiner
Publication Date: April 20 2013