Marriage eve jitters over Bill
A FIERCE debate over religious freedom has ignited within the Turnbull Government as it tries to decide how to legalise same-sex marriage, believing the Yes vote will record a historic win tomorrow.
Conservative MPs are backing a last-ditch proposal to allow bakers, florists, photographers and others the right to refuse service to same-sex weddings.
The Bill, drafted by Victorian senator James Paterson, is doomed to fail in parliament but shapes as a line in the sand from conservatives, who will likely use elements of it to try to amend Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s preferred Bill from gay Liberal Dean Smith.
Senator Paterson’s proposal keeps the traditional definition of marriage as between a man and a woman while also legalising same-sex marriage, and rolls back anti-discrimination provisions to provide legal cover to those who oppose it for religious reasons.
Senator Smith’s plan, derived from the recommendations of a cross-party panel, will be put into the Senate for debate on Thursday if the majority of Australians voted yes.
It only provides exemptions for churches and religious groups to refuse same-sex weddings. Mr Turnbull said it was “clearly a good Bill to start with”, but there would “no doubt be plenty of amendments”.
The Liberal party room has already agreed to allow a free vote on a private member’s Bill, such as Senator Smith’s, but the internal fight over religious protections now looms as a critical test for Mr Turnbull.