Turnbull gov ministers refuse to follow plebiscite result - same sex marriage

Abetz

Bernadi

Well the cat's out of the bag now, The same sex marriage plebiscite dreamed up by Abbott was always designed simply as a delaying tactic and not seriously meant to bring about same sex marriage in Australia. Now Abetz and Bernardi say they may well not vote for same sex marriage even if the people give a yes result in the plebiscite vote.

This is an astonishing development. Despite millions to be spent on the plebiscite exercise, to have two gov ministers either "reserve their decision" as Abetz has, or out and out say they won't vote with the people as Bernardi says, makes a mockery of the entire Lieberal rhetoric about it being an exercise in democracy. Lieberal ministers giving the finger to the electorate.

Again, same sex marriage in Australia comes up against the stumbling block of grumpy white catholic men; ideologues without love. The will of the people held to ransom by blind hate. Unrepresentative swill.

A split has reopened within the Coalition over same-sex marriage, with conservative senators warning they may vote against allowing gays and lesbians to marry even if the Australian public backs the change at a national plebiscite. 

Senator Eric Abetz said he would not necessarily vote with the majority while fellow Liberal senator Cory Bernardi went further by saying he would definitely not vote in favour of same-sex marriage, regardless of the public's verdict. 

Liberal National MP Warren Entsch, a leading advocate of same-sex marriage, slammed the senators' stance as "bizarre" and "extraordinary". 

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has committed to a national vote on whether to legalise same-sex marriage after the next election, which is expected to cost about $160 million. 

His predecessor, Tony Abbott, proposed a plebiscite last year after a bitter debate over a conscience vote inflamed tensions within the Coalition. 

When asked whether he would bind his MPs to vote "yes" if that was the plebiscite result, Mr Turnbull told Parliament last year that "the consequence of a 'yes' vote in the plebiscite will be that same-sex marriage will be legal in Australia" 

"When the Australian people make their decision, that decision will stick," he said in October. 

"It will be decisive. It will be respected by this government and by this Parliament and this nation." 

But Senator Bernardi told Fairfax Media on Wednesday: "Even if the public voted for [same-sex marriage], I wouldn't vote for it. 

"It goes against what I believe in. This is a substantial issue and, in the annals of public policy, you want to be on the record about your views." 

Senator Bernardi said he still expected Parliament would "respect the views of the Australian people" because not all parliamentarians were as passionate about the issue as he and they would be guided by the plebiscite result. 

Senator Abetz, a leading opponent of same-sex marriage, earlier said he would reserve his judgment following the plebiscite result. Sydney Morning Herald  

"Not all parliamentarians were as passionate about the issue as he..."  Fucks sake man. I wonder how passionate he would feel about being told that his marriage was illegal?