ALP conference: struggle over same-sex marriage stance continues
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Version 0 of 1. A Labor resolution to maintain a conscience vote on same-sex marriage before the next election and a binding vote after the election hangs in the balance as the party struggles over the best strategy to achieve marriage equality. On the third and final day of national ALP conference in Melbourne, Labor’s left will move a resolution that seeks to allow all MPs a conscience vote in this term of government and bind MPs after the next election. All left members will be bound to vote with the resolution, making it likely to succeed, given the finely balanced numbers. Those in favour of this resolution – primarily the left – argue that following the Irish referendum decision and the US supreme court decision which legalised same-sex marriage across the country, there is a high chance of a parliamentary vote occurring before the next election. But as the negotiations wore on, the NUW delegates, of the right, have indicated they will vote with the left resolution on same sex marriage, that is, a conscience vote now and a binding vote after the next election. The left’s resolution seeks to await a vote in this parliament and, if this does not happen, bind Labor members after the election to force the issue. Related: What the 'religious freedom' argument against marriage equality really means | Rodney Croome The deputy leader, Tanya Plibersek, who has previously introduced a private member’s bill and has championed a binding vote, described the left’s motion as a “sensible compromise” between immediately binding or maintaining a conscience vote. “It is a sensible compromise proposal that would see a binding vote after the election rather than now,” she said. “We believe what should happen now is Tony Abbott should allow the debate to proceed. We believe if he does that, Australia will have marriage equality at the end of the year. “We’re interested in making sure there is no delay or excuse from Tony Abbott to delay the issue of marriage equality now.” The left could not decide whether to bind its members on the resolution and were meeting again at lunchtime to make their final decision. The resolution will be the last thing debated at the conference, in the rules section. The opposition leader, Bill Shorten, addressed the caucus at lunchtime in a last-ditch effort to persuade the left to back his preference to maintain a conscience vote. Related: Tony Abbott digs in to frustrate any possibility of same-sex marriage vote Also backing a conscience vote is the leading left frontbencher Anthony Albanese. While he is a strong supporter of marriage equality, Albanese believes Labor has to be “respectful to other people because of their faith”. “You can’t call for tolerance and respect for diversity whilst being intolerant,” he told Insiders on Sunday. Also up for debate is the push by the left to change the rules to give ordinary Labor members more say in choosing delegates to federal conference and preselection of Senate and state upper house members. NSW Local Labor is proposing that Senate and upper house members be selected through direct election by membership ballot, with equal weighting given to the membership and the affiliated unions. NSW Local Labor also wants to see one conference delegate for each of the 150 federal electorates voted in by the membership. The unions have a strong influence on the federal delegates and the Senate/upper house preselections. Ahead of the debate it was understood the grassroots ballots for federal delegates were more likely to succeed than grassroots ballots for Senate positions. Also in the morning Labor passed a resolution on Palestine committing a future Labor government to discuss joining like-minded nations who have already recognised Palestine. It would also set the conditions and timelines for the Australian recognition of a Palestinian state, with the objective of contributing to peace and security in the Middle East. |