A week ago, we all thought that perhaps this would be the moment when the Coalition party room and our neo-Conservative Catholic Prime Minister Tony Abbott finally graciously admitted defeat against the tides of changes, and let the inevitable run its course.
Many political pundits and LGBT people waited with baited breath last Tuesday when pro-marriage equality advocates within the Liberal party room led by Queensland backbencher Warren Enstch demanded the issue of a free conscience vote on the matter be addressed.
After all, a free vote on the issue and a bipartisan bill was what Tony himself said should happen here just a few months ago. He himself said that any change of the definition of the Marriage Act – a deliberately discriminatory definition which Tony’s mentor and predecessor John Howard enshrined 11 years ago this week – should be owned by the Parliament.
The pro-marriage equality advocates within the Liberal camp – including several frontbenchers such as Christopher Pyne, Julie Bishop and Malcolm Turnbull among them – finally glimpsed the moment of truth for the party.
Having attempted to stall and bury the issue for so long, it seemed finally it could happen.
Instead, Tony Abbott had one last trick up his sleeve. Despite having promised to allow a crossbench private member’s bill on the issue to be tabled and debated, Tony had behind closed doors also promised his conservative backers within the Coalition that no free vote would ever take place.
So, Tony Abbott forced his Liberal party colleagues to invite their National Party MPs into their party room, demanding the whole Coalition be allowed to debate the issue. The specially convened afternoon meeting dragged on for five hours, long into the night, as opponents and advocates debated the matter passionately on both sides. In the end, thanks in part to what amounted to branch stacking, the LNP voted 60-30 against allowing a free vote. Now, it seems unlikely Warren Enstch’s bill will ever see the light of day in parliament.
What Tony misjudged was the public sentiment on the issue, and the strength and depth of commitment among those who have now been fighting for this for so long. He thought he could bury the issue until after the next election, and that we would all quietly go away.
Instead, the Liberal cabinet has imploded in bickering and in fighting that pits senior ministers against each other on what the right way forward should be.
After insisting marriage was a matter for Parliament (which is the view incidentally that the High Court has consistently upheld), Tony Abbott has now done an about-face claiming that marriage equality should be decided by the people.
Scott Morrison publically declared the issue should be put to a referendum but George Brandis and others supported a plebiscite. Except that a referendum would only serve to entrench discrimination (because the constitution already specifies marriage is a federal power) and a plebiscite would be legally meaningless. Even if a plebiscite were held tomorrow it would only tell us what literally dozens of opinion polls have already told us time and time again: more than two thirds of Australians support gay and lesbians couples having the right to marry like everyone else. And we would still be waiting for our Parliament to legislate to make it so.
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people turned out onto the streets of Melbourne to emphatically declare their support for change.
To Tony Abbott and his LNP colleagues who voted against a free vote – because they knew they would lose – I say fuck you and good riddance. When you lose the next election – as it looks increasingly likely that you will – you will be remembered as an embarrassing footnote in history. Meanwhile, the rest of us will be wrapped in pride colours celebrating our victory over bigots like you.
This Saturday August 22, YASS QWEEN – the party behemoth from CLOSET, Thursgay and Sydney’s GiRLTHING – is organising a field trip south of the river to POOF DOOF’s home at Chasers. For a one night stand only, YASS DOOF will bring together the best of North and South, boys and girls, for a whole-of-venue party across three rooms with more Djs and performers than you can poke your stick at. The lineup includes YO! MAFIA, Post Percy, Salvador Darling, Cunningpants, Leather Locklear, JLAW, Mimi, 6am At The Garage, Tanzer, Ruby Slippers, Argonaut alongside the likes of Agent Cleave, Jess Daly and Karen From Finance from 10pm until Revs. Presale tickets are $15 on sale now or entry will be available on the door.
Trough X returns for men’s only dark and dirty fun at sex-on-premises venue Club 80 on Saturday September 5. DJs include Kiti, Gavin Campbell and Chiara Kickdrum. The fun will kick off from 5pm until 2.30am at 10 Peel Street, Collingwood.
