Same-sex marriage looming, says Pyne

SAME-SEX marriage could be legalised “sooner than everyone thinks” after a leaked recording of a senior Turnbull Government minister flagged renewed efforts within the Coalition to pass the reform.

Christopher Pyne, the Leader of the House and a close ally of the Prime Minister, made the remarks to the Liberals’ moderate faction in Sydney at the weekend.

A recording of Mr Pyne’s address to the “Black Hand” factional gathering has been obtained by News Corp Australia columnist Andrew Bolt.

Mr Pyne told the group the moderates had slowly wrestled the power away from conservatives within the party, such as former PM Tony Abbott, and could turn around the Government’s fortunes.

“Friends, we are in the winner’s circle, but we have to deliver a couple of things and one of those we’ve got to deliver before too long is marriage equality in this country,” he told the gathering at Star Casino’s Cherry Bar.

Mr Pyne added: “We’re going to get it. I think it might even be sooner than everyone thinks . . . your friends in Canberra are working on that outcome.”

The same-sex marriage debate has been a lightning rod for division within the Coalition in the past five years.

Some MPs fear allowing a free vote on the issue in Parliament would break the Government’s election promise of a plebiscite on the issue.

A spokesman for Mr Pyne said last night he did not say action on marriage equality was imminent.

“The minister said that whilst marriage equality had failed to materialise over the last two years it would become a reality eventually,” the spokesman said.