Civil union plan about politics not people

The last thing those who want to bring an end to the marriage equality debate should do is support civil unions.

Instead, the best way forward on marriage equality is to support a conscience vote on marriage equality from both major parties.

I can tell you from my lobbying that when there is a bi-partisan conscience vote on marriage equality naysayers will be surprised by the level of support it will have.

At best Entsch and Fitzgibbon are misjudging what level of support there is for marriage equality among their colleagues and at worst misrepresenting it.

I challenge Warren Entsch and Joel Fitzgibbon to prove me wrong about what motivates them.

If they genuinely believe in making life better for same-sex couples and not their political bosses, they will allow marriage equality legislation to be properly debated with a bi-partisan conscience vote before they pre-empt it with their compromise.

If they sincerely believe civil unions are the way forward, they will submit their bill to the Senate inquiry into marriage equality so it can be properly scrutinised by legal experts and by those it will most affect.

If they don't, they open themselves to the accusation that, just like their party leaders, they are playing politics with people's legitimate aspirations for equality and respect.