Liberal MP and former party leader Malcolm Turnbull says there is community support for civil unions but Australian Marriage Equality believes civil unions will ‘entrench a second class status for same-sex relationships’.
In an address to the National Press Club today, Turnbull said: ‘I think there is broad support in the community for recognising civil unions for Australian couples of the same-sex and polls and research shows that.’
A poll running on the Liberal MP’s electoral website found 73 per cent supported same-sex marriage but only 17 per cent supported civil unions. AME spokesperson Alex Greenwich rejected the Member for Wentworth’s call and said civil unions may look like an ‘attractive political expedient’ but would not lessen the need for full equality.
‘Mr Turnbull’s own research shows overwhelming support for full marriage equality and hardly any support for civil unions, a result which is replicated in electorate polls by Teresa Gambaro and others,’ Greenwich said.
‘Civil unions may look like an attractive political expedient for some MPs but they will entrench a second-class status for same-sex relationships and will not lessen the need or the demand for full equality.
‘It is the responsibility of people like Mr Turnbull to explain to religious opponents of same-sex marriage in his electorate that churches will not have to marry same-sex couples against their will.
‘In my experience, once people of faith understand this basic fact their concerns dissipate.’
OIP Staff
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