THE Liberal National Party candidate who wants to unseat Kevin Rudd as the member for Griffith has declared he will argue strongly for marriage equality inside the Coalition partyroom if he is elected.
Bill Glasson said unlike the Prime Minister, he didn’t wake up one day and discover the issue. He said he had always believed in marriage equality, and if he beat Mr Rudd, as polls suggest he will, he would join the list of Coalition MPs pushing for a policy shift on the issue. “(Mr Rudd) had an epiphany one morning and obviously had a change of mind . . . but I’ve had this view for a long time,” Dr Glasson said.
“I believe in a conscience vote and I would vote in favour of marriage equality . . . I think it comes down to respect. It should not be a gender-based decision; it should be a principle-based decision”.
Tony Abbott is opposed to marriage eqquality and has rejected calls for a conscience vote on the issue. Mr Rudd announced his switch to supporting marriage equality in April and in the first leaders’ debate of the campaign, pledged to deliver marriage equality in his first 100 days as a returned PM.
The move is aimed at winning a handful of inner-city seats, and insiders say it is already hurting the Greens and the Liberal Party.
Dr Glasson said he believed every candidate should let voters know their views.
He said he didn’t think Mr Rudd was winning any votes out of the issue.
“It’s probably equal because of the strong stance he had against it initially,” Dr Glasson said.
“I think every one he has gained he has lost one. I’ve made it very clear to them and to everybody that this is my stance.”
The LNP MP for the marginal seat of Brisbane, Teresa Gambaro, last week revealed she would vote in favour of marriage equality in the next parliament if Coalition MPs were allowed a conscience vote.
Ms Gambaro, who had faced a leafletting campaign in her electorate by the marriage equality lobby highlighting her previous refusal to reveal her position, said she would push Mr Abbott to change his position of not allowing a conscience vote.
Family First plans to issue split tickets in most Queensland electorates as the majority of LNP candidates have indicated they will support marriage equality in a conscience vote.
The minor party says it will preference Labor before the LNP in Blair and Fairfax. In those seats, ALP candidates Shane Neumann and Elaine Hughes support Family First’s position, while the LNP candidates have indicated support for marriage equality.
Author: Patricia Karvelas
Publication: The Australian
Date: 27 August 2013