Liberal MPs Had a Secret Plan to Legalise Same-Sex Marriage as Soon as August

It’d be wise not to get your hopes up, but things are seemingly happening behind the scenes.

You may recall that same-sex marriage was put on the backburner late last year, when Labor blocked the Coalition’s proposed plebiscite.

(Who are we kidding? Of course you recall.)

After that, marriage equality (which for a hot minute seemed like an imminent inevitability) appeared to drift from the government’s priorities.

Or did it?

Yesterday, tape leaked of moderate Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne telling supporters that marriage equality was something “we’ve got to deliver before too long”, adding, “your friends in Canberra are working on that outcome”.

This enraged the conservatives in his party—okay, mainly Tony Abbott—so Minister Pyne went on Q&A to do damage control, insisting he supports the government’s plan to hold a plebiscite, rather than a free vote in parliament.

(In short: A plebiscite is a non-binding vote in which Australians will go to the polls to decide on the fate of marriage equality. A vote in parliament, which would be required after a plebiscite anyway, simply involves pollies passing an amendment to the Marriage Act allowing same-sex marriage. The latter is preferred by marriage equality advocates, fearing the hate-mongering that could come from plebiscite campaigning.)

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull continues to blame Labor leader Bill Shorten for the delay, insisting that “the reason there is not gay marriage lawful in Australia at the moment is because no plebiscite has been held.”

However, Turnbull—also a moderate—apparently only agreed to a plebiscite to appease the conservatives in the Liberal party (a faction to which former PM Tony Abbott belongs).

Nonetheless, it's been revealed that two Liberal MPs have been secretly working on a plan to legalise same-sex marriage as soon as August, according to the SMH.

WA senator Dean Smith and NSW lower house MP Trent Zimmerman are reportedly working on a private members’ bill which would only require a conscience vote in Parliament, rather than a plebiscite. (A conscience vote allows party members to vote on their, well, conscience, rather than by their party’s line.)

It’s believed Minister Pyne is aware of the bill, which is intended to get marriage equality off the agenda ahead of the next federal election (which might be a little over a year away).

Advocates have even been consulted on a draft copy of the bill, which will allow exemptions for religious and other celebrants who object to marrying two people of the same sex.

If the bill is presented, only a few Liberal MPs will need to join forces with Labor and the crossbenchers to get the law considered, and ultimately passed. Prime Minister Turnbull will almost certainly face pressure from the conservative faction of his party to keep that from happening.

Given that August is just two months away, you will know sooner than later if the Coalition follows through.

Photo: ABC