When all the new parliamentarians next sit down in Canberra there will be more in support of marriage equality than prior to the election.
Rodney Croome, the Convener of Marriage Equality Australia has been crunching the numbers and has worked out that after the election there are more politicians in the chamber for same sex marriage than ever before.
“All the sitting Coalition MPs who said they support marriage equality were returned.”
“Thanks to Mr Rudd’s strong support for marriage equality a swath of pro-equality Labor candidates were elected or re-elected despite the trend against the ALP and despite strident anti-gay campaigns against them,” said Mr Croome.
“In the Lower house the number of declared supporters has increased from 42 to a likely 50, with more expected.”
Mr Croome said Australian Marriage Equality is ready to work with supporters in all parties to move the issue forward.
“We will seek to bring supportive MPs together through a cross-party working group similar to the one successfully moving the issue forward in the NSW parliament.
“We will also be working with supporters within the Coalition to map a path towards a conscience vote, and to lobby newly-elected Coalition MPs who have yet to declare their position.”
