Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is seeking to downplay the latest Liberal backbench push to legalise same-sex marriage, saying the move is not a surprise and will not shift the Coalition from its plebiscite policy.
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Senator's marriage equality push
Liberal Dean Smith is going it alone to legalise same sex marriage, going against the PM and pushing for a free vote in Parliament over a plebiscite.
Liberal senator Dean Smith has publicly confirmed he is drafting a private members' bill he intends to bring before the Liberal party room in the coming months, saying the issue has become an embarrassment for the nation.
"The bill is important because it will allow the Liberal Party to revisit the issue of marriage once and for all before the next election," Senator Smith told The Sunday Times in Perth. "I don't doubt the complexity same-sex-marriage presents for some Liberals, but I am not asking people to change their mind on the issue. Instead, we should allow everyone the right to vote according to their own conscience."
As revealed by Fairfax Media last month, Senator Smith is working on the bill in collaboration with lower house NSW MP Trent Zimmerman. They want to bring on a free vote as early as August, when Federal Parliament resumes after the winter break.
"This is not an academic or theoretical issue," Senator Smith said. "This goes to the heart of how some Australians could be free to live their lives according to their own choices."
"This is not about gays and lesbians. It is about respecting our humanity and it extends to the friends and families of gay and lesbian Australians. The electorate is the best gauge of authenticity and my sense is that people are embarrassed that Australia has not resolved this issue.
"Many do support the matter being put before the parliament and finally resolved. The time is now."
But Mr Turnbull disagrees.
"Dean crossed the floor against the plebiscite bill in the Senate so he's got a longstanding view about it. And in our party room, members are entitled to raise what-ever issues they like," he told reporters in Paris on Sunday.
But the government's policy is clear: "We support a plebiscite where all Australians will be given a vote on the matter. It is critical that all Australians be given a say and the only reason they haven't been given that say is because of Bill Shorten."
Mr Shorten said Senator Smith agrees with Labor and "I know deep down the prime minister agrees with Labor".
"It's time for Malcolm Turnbull to listen to Australians and his own MPs and senators and just get this done," he said.
Advocacy group The Equality Campaign's executive director Tiernan Brady said Senator Smith's move showed there was growing political will for the reform.
"The campaign for marriage equality is not going to go away. It grows stronger and more determined with every passing day," said Mr Brady.
Senator Smith, who is gay, says his bill will include exemptions for religious and other celebrants who did not want to participate in same-sex marriages.
He acknowledges that the Coalition's official policy is still to hold a plebiscite, even though it has no chance of getting through a hostile Senate.
Mr Turnbull's stance does not necessarily prevent movement, if enough Coalition MPs are prepared to cross the floor to force a debate. If the bill did come on it would need the support of only a handful of Coalition MPs to pass into law.