Another Lieberal has broken ranks with Team Abbott and states he will cross the floor if the latest marriage equality bill actually gets to a vote. Dean Smith is an openly gay Lieberal back bencher, cementing the fact that gay marriage isn't a leftie issue but a human issue.Team Abbott now appears to be coming apart at the seams.
"I intend to use the full liberties available to me as a government backbench senator to support same sex marriage if a private member's bill comes before the Senate."
Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said he would be disappointed if any of his backbenchers voted against party policy, but that they were entitled to vote according to their conscience. Cabinet members, on the other hand, would have to resign from the ministry if they voted in favour of same-sex marriage, he said.
Mr Smith said he had argued in Tuesday's marathon Coalition party room meeting that he believes all couples deserve the same legal rights.
"I also affirmed my strong view that given this issue is so heavily governed by a person's attitude to faith and sexuality, it is quite obvious that every parliamentarian should be able to vote according to their own conscience," he said.
Mr Smith said Liberal politicians had been allowed to vote according to their conscience in at least three previous parliamentary debates on marriage and family law.
These included the Marriage Bill in 1961 and the 1974 Marriage Law Bill regulating divorce, he said.
"I am disappointed there has been such a significant departure from the previous custom and practice of the Parliamentary Liberal Party," he said. Read more
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