Same sex marriage debate divides Labor
Summary
TLDRThe Australian Labor Party faces internal conflict over same-sex marriage, with a conscience vote being urged by the Greens. While some MPs like John Murphy oppose change, citing community views, others like openly gay Andrew Barr support it. The debate is set to escalate at the National Conference in December, where the party's stance on marriage as a union between a man and a woman may be challenged. Despite the Greens' push and growing grassroots support for amendment, the Prime Minister's resistance and the possibility of a conscience vote in Parliament indicate ongoing political struggle.
Takeaways
- π³οΈ There is increasing pressure on the Prime Minister to permit a conscience vote on the issue of gay marriage.
- π’ A green motion has been put forth urging all Members of Parliament (MPS) to report on the views of their communities regarding gay marriage.
- π The issue is expected to reach a critical point at the Labour's National Conference in December.
- π Political editor Chris Yman reports on the internal debate within the Labour party about the definition of marriage.
- ποΈ John Murphy, a New South Wales Labour MP, states that his electorate is against changing the definition of marriage but acknowledges the party's branches are voting in favor.
- π Andrew Barr, the Deputy Chief Minister of the ACT and a member of Labour's right wing who is openly gay, sees the push for same-sex marriage as a positive reflection of the party's diversity.
- ποΈ Almost all Labour state branches have endorsed same-sex marriage, indicating a strong grassroots movement within the party.
- π³οΈβπ The Greens, with their sole member of the lower house Adam Bandt, have been instrumental in bringing the issue to the national agenda.
- π Some members within Labour's right wing believe that the party's focus on this issue may reinforce a perception that Labour is overly influenced by the Greens and is prioritizing less important matters.
- ποΈ If the National Conference endorses change, there are still significant hurdles to overcome, including the Prime Minister's stance on maintaining the current Marriage Act.
- π£οΈ There is a call for a conscience vote in Parliament, which may indicate that the internal argument is being lost and that there is a belief the vote could be won with broad support.
Q & A
What is the main issue being discussed in the script?
-The main issue discussed in the script is the growing pressure on the prime minister to allow a conscience vote on gay marriage within the Australian Labor Party.
What is a conscience vote?
-A conscience vote is a type of parliamentary vote in which members are allowed to vote according to their personal beliefs rather than along party lines.
What is the position of John Murphy, the New South Wales Labor MP, on the issue of gay marriage?
-John Murphy, a member of the Labor Party's right wing, states that his views, which he believes reflect his electorate, are against changing the definition of marriage, citing the predominantly multicultural and Muslim population in his electorate.
How does the script describe Andrew Barr's perspective on the issue?
-Andrew Barr, the deputy chief minister of the ACT and a member of Labor's right who is openly gay, sees the push for same-sex marriage as a positive reflection of the Labor Party's diversity and inclusivity.
What is the Labor Party's current stance on marriage as described in the script?
-The Labor Party's current platform defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman, a stance that some within the party believe is a step too far and should be changed.
What is the significance of the Labor's National Conference in December mentioned in the script?
-The Labor's National Conference in December is significant because it is where the issue of same-sex marriage is expected to be discussed and potentially lead to a change in the party's platform.
What was the outcome of the vote in November by the Greens' sole member of the lower house, Adam Bandt?
-Adam Bandt won a vote that called on all MPs to consult their electorates about gay marriage and report back, which was an important step towards recognizing equal love in the Australian Parliament.
What does John Murphy believe should be the recognition of same-sex relationships under the law?
-John Murphy supports the recognition of same-sex relationships as civil unions but not under the Marriage Act, which he believes should maintain the traditional definition of marriage.
What is the concern of some members within the Labor Party's right wing regarding the push for same-sex marriage?
-Some members of the Labor Party's right wing are concerned that pursuing the issue of same-sex marriage reinforces a growing community view that Labor is a captive to the Greens and is spending political capital on issues that most people do not care about.
What is the potential outcome if the National Conference endorses a change in the Labor Party's platform regarding marriage?
-If the National Conference endorses a change, it could lead to the removal of the reference to marriage being a union between a man and a woman, but there would still be hurdles to overcome, such as the prime minister's stance and the possibility of a conscience vote in Parliament.
What does the script suggest about the likelihood of a conscience vote in Parliament?
-The script suggests that while there is hope for a conscience vote in Parliament, it is unlikely that the fight for same-sex marriage recognition will end in a single showdown, indicating a potentially lengthy and complex political process.
Outlines
π³οΈ Conscience Vote on Gay Marriage
There is increasing pressure on the Prime Minister to permit a conscience vote on the issue of gay marriage. A Green motion has urged all Members of Parliament (MPS) to report on their constituents' views. In August, New South Wales Labor MP John Murphy noted a clear stance against change in his electorate, but nationwide, Labor party branches are leaning towards supporting it. The debate is set to intensify at the Labor's National Conference in December. Political editor Chris Yman reports on the internal conflict within the Labor party, with some members, like Murphy, reflecting their diverse electorates' conservative views, while others, like openly gay deputy chief minister Andrew Barr, see it as a positive step for the party's inclusivity. The Labor party's push for same-sex marriage is facing opposition from traditionalists within its ranks, who believe it may alienate voters and detract from other priorities.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Conscience vote
π‘Gay marriage
π‘Electorate
π‘Party's branches
π‘National Conference
π‘Right wing
π‘Multicultural
π‘Marriage Act
π‘Discrimination
π‘Progressive reform
Highlights
Growing pressure on the Prime Minister to allow a conscience vote on gay marriage.
A Greens motion urging MPs to report community views on gay marriage.
John Murphy, NSW Labor MP, reflects on his electorate's resistance to change regarding gay marriage.
Nationwide, Labor's party branches are voting in favor of same-sex marriage.
The issue is set to be discussed at the Labor National Conference in December.
2007 National Conference ended with a debate; the 2017 conference may bring the fight indoors.
John Murphy represents a multicultural electorate with a large Muslim population.
Andrew Barr, openly gay Deputy Chief Minister of the ACT, sees a positive reflection of Labor's diversity.
Almost all Labor State branches endorse same-sex marriage ahead of the National Conference.
The ACT Branch is expected to record the strongest vote in favor of amending the Labor platform.
The Greens put the issue of gay marriage on the national agenda, leading to a parliamentary vote.
John Murphy differentiates between civil unions and the Marriage Act for same-sex couples.
Some in Labor's right wing believe the party is captive to the Greens and misplacing its priorities.
There is a growing community view for amending discriminatory Australian law to be more inclusive.
Labor's National Conference may endorse change or drop the traditional definition of marriage.
The Prime Minister's stance on keeping The Marriage Act in its current form.
The possibility of a conscience vote in Parliament is being pushed by Labor MPs.
Labor's internal argument and potential platform change may influence the parliamentary vote.
The fight for same-sex marriage recognition is not expected to end with a single parliamentary showdown.
Transcripts
there's growing pressure on the prime
minister to allow a conscience vote on
gay marriage a green motion calls on all
MPS to report on their community's views
in August New South Wales labor MP John
Murphy says the message is loud and
clear in his electorate that people
don't want change but around the nation
the party's branches are voting for it
the issue will come to a head at
Labour's National Conference in December
as political editor Chris yman
reports Labour's staged managed planned
2007 National Conference actually ended
with a colorful argument
outside come December label will bring
the fight indoors does its National
Conference again Endor a party platform
that says marriage is the union of a man
and a woman this is a step too far that
we will see change John Murphy is the
member for Reed and Sydney's in a West a
seat that runs along the southern side
of the Paramount River he's a member of
the party's right wing and says his
views reflect his electorate which
includes a large Muslim population at
the last election there was a
redistribution and I inherited um
probably the most Multicultural part of
Australia centered on Orbin and if
people think that the old electorate
that I represent of low which is a
predominantly a Christian electorate are
concerned about this well I ask you to
ask people of the Islamic faith what
they think about the labor party's push
to allow couples of the same gender to
get married Under The Marriage Act they
reject that Andrew bar inhabits a very
different world he's the act's deputy
chief minister he's also a member of
Labor's right and he's openly gay I
think it's seen as a positive reflection
upon the labor party that we can
generate people from all different
backgrounds to uh to serve in public
office
in the leadup to the National Conference
almost all labor State branches have
endorsed same-sex marriage the ACT
conference will vote on it this weekend
look I think the ACT Branch will will
record the strongest vote in uh in favor
of amending the labor platform at a
national level I will be referring the
matter obviously to the National
Conference but taking a position
ourselves in support of change uh I
think that uh you know reflects that
growing Grassroots momentum across the
labor party in each state and territory
Branch labor was always going to have
this fight but it was the greens who put
it on the national agenda the question
is therefore resolved in the affirmative
the greens sole member of the lower
house Adam B won a vote in November
which called on all MPS to consult their
electorates about gay marriage and
report back on August 17 the Australian
Parliament has just taken an important
step towards recognizing what you
already know and that is that love is
equal John Murphy doesn't believe
believe that maintaining the traditional
definition of marriage is
discrimination I supported the changes
to those Commonwealth laws that took
away the discrimination against people
who are in same-sex
relationships now I want to see their
relationships
recognized um as a civil union but not
under the Marriage Act some in labors
right believe that pursuing this issue
just reinforces a growing Community view
that labor is a captive to the greens
and that it's spending political capital
on issues that most people don't care
about my sense is there's a growing
momentum uh amongst Australians to uh to
see what what is a discriminatory piece
of Australian law amended uh to be more
inclusive and the labor party is always
at its best when it's championing
Progressive reform if December's
National Conference does endorse change
or simply drop the reference to marriage
being a union between a man and a woman
there are quite a few more hurdles yet
one is the prime minister said that it's
my view that The Marriage Act should
stay in its current form and my view is
unchanged then there's the question of
whether labor MPS will be granted that
rarest of things a conscience vote in
Parliament well I'm hoping that uh we'll
be allowed a conscience vote on this I
think that's terribly important that the
rights calling for a conscience vote
shows two things that it's losing the
internal argument and that Labor's
platform might well change the second is
that they believe they can win this vote
on the floor of parliament with the
support of almost everyone in the
Coalition but it's unlikely that the
fight will end in a single
Showdown political editor Chris yolman
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