“Conscience vote” is no way to win equal marriage rights

A conscience vote is not a step forward for the campaign. It is a con by those who want to avoid embarrassing the Labor Party. The Greens have been mistaken to call for a conscience vote. They should be saying that a conscience vote is not enough, that equality is a human right, and join us in clearly demanding that all Labor politicians vote in favour of marriage equality.

Doug Cameron, who is the Labor Left Co-convener and a supporter of marriage equality, recently made this comment: "I don't know how you say that marriage equality becomes a conscience issue, but these are arguments that will have to take place down the track."

These are not arguments that can happen down the track. They are arguments that need to happen now. Unless we go to the National Conference in December with it firmly established that we are opposed to a conscience vote, any platform change could be reduced to meaningless words. If the Labor Party changes their platform to support marriage equality, we want them to know that we will be holding them to account. This is why it is so important for everyone to come out in force on December 3.

A rally for marriage equality will march to the ALP's National Conference on Saturday December 3rd. Equality supporters are travelling across the country to be there. Meeting at 12pm at Hyde Park North (Sydney).