Perth Voice Interactive

AROUND 700 people attended a CBD rally at the weekend calling for full marriage rights for LGBTI people in Australia.

Ms Farida Iqbal, who co-chaired the rally, says it was one of the biggest turnouts they have had on the issue.

“This is a clear message to the federal government that people want marriage equality for everyone in Australia, not just same-sex, but inter-sex and transgender as well,” she says.

This week Tony Abbott said ministers and parliamentary secretaries who voted for Liberal backbencher Warren Entsch’s cross-party private member’s bill to legalise same-sex marriage would be demoted.

“If the Liberal party politicians really do have a conscience, they should cross the floor,” says Ms Iqbal.

“And Equal Love WA is against the conscience vote: we think the Labor party shouldn’t allow its members to vote for a bigoted position and should bind its members together.”

Mr Abbott has flagged that if he wins the next election he’ll put the issue to a plebiscite (unlike a referendum, governments are not compelled to adopt the outcome). Labor says the plebiscite could cost more than $100 million: if it wins the election it has committed to introducing a marriage equality bill within 100 days.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK