Australian Marriage Equality today revealed the 50 Federal MPs targeted by the new nationwide “We’re Waiting” campaign.
Only 25 more MPs are needed to support reform for legislation to pass the Parliament.
The ‘We’re Waiting’ campaign will put a face to the millions of Australians waiting for reform and empower local communities in targeted electorates to help reform happen.
All targeted parliamentarians will today receive a rose from people who are waiting.
This includes gay couples waiting to marry; straight couples who have put their weddings on hold until their gay friends can marry; parents waiting for their sons or daughters to be treated equally by the law; and the majority of Australians waiting for reform to happen.
Australian Marriage Equality National Director, Rodney Croome, said, “Today we launch our new campaign to activate grass roots support in the 50 electorates we have identified are key to achieving marriage equality,”
“We have selected 50 MPs who we believe may be persuaded to support reform, and if we can persuade just half of them, marriage equality will pass.”
“Tens of thousands samesex couples are waiting to get married, 65% of Australian are waiting for the laws to change, and now even straight couples are waiting to get married till their gay friends can.
“Our campaign, ‘We’re Waiting’, will put a face to the millions of Australians waiting for reform in key electorates, and will empower these communities to do something about it.”
“This starts from today with marriage equality supporters, gay and straight, visiting their MPs office for the first time to deliver roses, start the conversation about marriage equality, and ask them the question “what are you waiting for?”
“From the WA seat of Cowan to the Queensland seat of McPherson, over the coming weeks and months we will support these local communities to build the profile of the issue in key electorates and open the hearts and minds of undecided MPs.”
The campaign has the support of Wallaby David Pocock, who is waiting to marry his partner Emma until the laws change.
Mr Pocock said, “It comes down to equal love. I don’t think it’s the government’s role to tell people that their love is right or wrong.”
“I couldn’t keep quiet while people I loved dearly were being penalised for their sexuality something they can do nothing about”.
He added, “Oh, and also the sky didn’t fall during the few days of marriage equality in Canberra which no doubt many anti equality groups predicted”.
The campaign’s video featuring gay and straight couples across Australia is at www.werewaiting.org
There’s plenty for supporters to do while waiting, including:
● Meeting with undecided MPs about Marriage Equality
● Straight couples can pledge to wait to marry till reform happens
● If you are unable to wait to get married, have your celebrant express your support for reform
● Asking coalition MPs for a conscience vote
● Signing up to support marriage equality
● Educating yourself on the need for marriage equality
● Chipping in to support the campaign
For further comment contact Rodney Croome on 0409 010 668 or Ivan Hinton on 0419 124 826.
For information on constituents delivering roses to MPs call Bronwyn Middleton on 0425 210 023
To talk to straight couples waiting to get married contact Brenden Spencer on 0412 206 376.
The targeted parliamentarians are:
Party First Name Last Name Electorate Rose delivery time at electorate office
LP Jane Prentice Ryan 9:30am
LP Steven Ciobo Moncrief 10:00am
LP Andrew Nikolic Bass 10:00am
ALP Chris Bowen McMahon 11:00am
ALP Wayne Swan Lilley 11:00am and 1:00pm
LP Karen McNamara Dobell 12:00pm
LP Julie Bishop Curtin 9:00am
LP Ian Blayney Geraldton 9:00am
LP Luke Simpkins Cowan 1:00pm
LP Peter Dutton Dickson 1:00pm
LP Stuart Robert Fadden 1:00pm
LP Josh Frydenberg Kooyong 2:00pm
LP Karen Andrews McPherson 2:00pm
LP Michael McCormack Riverina 3:00pm
PUP Clive Palmer Fairfax 4:00pm
LP Paul Fletcher Bradfield 4:00pm
ALP Joel Fitzgibbon Hunter
ALP Michelle Rowland Greenway
LP John Alexander Bennelong
LP Alexander Hawke Mitchell
LP Joseph Hockey North Sydney
LP Louise Markus Macquarie
LP Fiona Scott Lindsay
Nats Kevin Hogan Page
ALP Edham Husic Chifley
LP Sussan Ley Farrer
LP Ann Sudmalis Gilmore
LP Lucy Wicks Robertson
CLP Natasha Griggs Solomon
LP Warren Entsch Leichardt
LP Ewen Jones Herbert
LP Andrew Laming Bowman
LP Malcolm Brough Longman
Nats Michelle Landry Capricornia
Nats Kenneth O’Dowd Flynn
LP Jamie Briggs Mayo
LP Christopher Pyne Sturt
LP Antony Pasin Barker
LP Andrew Southcott Boothby
LP Eric Hutchinson Lyons
ALP Anna Burke Chislolm
LP Russell Broadbent McMillan
LP Sarah Henderson Corangamite
LP Gregory Hunt Flinders
LP Andrew Robb Goldstein
LP Anthony Smith Casey
LP Kenneth Wyatt Hasluck
LP Stephen Irons Swan
Nats Barnaby Joyce New England
LP Ann Sudmalis Gilmore
LP Melissa Price Durack