The issue of a conscience vote has returned to the marriage equality debate this week.
While it’s usually the Liberal party debating whether or not they should allow their MPs to have a conscience vote on the matter, this week the focus switched to the Labor party.
On Sunday Shadow Health Minister Catherine King commented on the possibility that the Labor party may force it’s MPs to vote along party lines in the future rather than exercise their own personal judgement.
The issue is set to be added to agenda for the party’s national conference in July. Yesterday Deputy Leader Tanya Plibersek shared her belief that it should be a binding vote. Ms Plibersek shared her belief in several interviews on Monday.
Now the Australian Greens have called on both major parties to just get on with it.
In a statement released to the media Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young called on both Labor and Liberal to stop the infighting and get on with legislating for marriage equality.
“It’s time to drop the excuses. Labor’s bizarre position of having a party policy of marriage equality but actively signalling to MPs to vote against it has always been naked politicking. The truth is, the party either believes equality is important or it doesn’t,” Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.
“Ultimately, what Labor does and how they make their representatives vote on the issue of marriage equality is a matter for them.
“The Greens have always believed that removing discrimination from the law books is a matter principle and it should be the policy of all parties who honestly believe in equality.
“It’s time the Parliament got on with removing discrimination from the Marriage Act and ensuring that same-sex couples in Australia are no longer treated as second class citizens.
“It’s time the Labor factions, just like Tony Abbott, got out of the way and allowed marriage equality to be realised.” Ms Hanson-Yong said.
