By ANEEKA SIMONIS
LIBERAL MP Russel Broadbent has reaffirmed his support for a conscience vote on same sex marriage despite disagreeing with legislative changes.
His strong opposition to marriage equality contrasts with newly announced Labor candidate Chris Buckingham who urged parliament to “get on with it”.
A bill to legislate for marriage equality was introduced in parliament by Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten on Monday 1 June.
During his address, Mr Shorten urged MPs to “step up” and show their support for legislative change, but his calls fell on largely deaf ears as the bill was read out to near-empty Coalition benches.
Mr Broadbent, a long-term federal representative for the seat of McMillan and one of the few coalition members present at the historic address, said constituents have voted for him in the past knowing his stance toward same sex marriage.
“It is not about equality because they have equality under law now.
“They can be recognised through civil union and that civil union is recognised by all bodies.
“We have removed all parts of discrimination from those of same-sex orientation,” he told 774 ABC radio.
Though he does not support changes to the Marriage Act, Mr Broadbent has long support a conscience vote on the issue.
His views were mirrored by other Liberal politicians including Assistant Treasurer Josh Frydenberg who not only backed a Liberal conscience vote, but described legal recognition of same-sex marriages as “inevitable”.
Mr Broadbent accused Labor of igniting the issue for “political purposes” following the recent referendum vote for marriage equality in Ireland.
“This has become a party political issue,” Mr Broadbent said.
Mr Frydenberg suggested the bill needed “cross-party agreement“ in a bid to unpoliticise the legislation.
Chris Buckingham, who Labor recently endorsed as its Labor candidate for McMillan, said he hopes the bill will be legislated well before the approaching federal election.
“I look at it and think it’s an issue of discrimination and not a matter of religion,” he said.
“No-one is asking the churches to marry people they don’t want to marry, this is about people having the right to get married.
“For me, it’s a straightforward process and I sincerely hope that by the time the election is here this issue is done and dusted.”
Lyle Shelton from the Australian Christian Lobby has criticised the push towards same-sex marriage as one that disregards the rights of children.
“This is legislation that requires some children to miss out on a mother and a father – and that’s something a civil society should never do,“ he said.
The legislation proposes to change the definition of “the union of a man and a woman” to “the union of two people”.
