Broadbent defends marriage bill vote

Member for McMillan Russell Broadbent was one of only four members of parliament to vote against the same sex marriage bill when it became law on Thursday.

Mr Broadbent said last month when same sex marriage survey results were released that he would not be taking the McMillan yes vote to Canberra.

He said he would honour the commitment he gave to people that a no vote would be his position.

In McMillan, 62.7 per cent of people voted yes in the survey.

Despite the survey results, Mr Broadbent said he would not be voting yes in the House of Representatives.

On Thursday, Mr Broadbent was one of four MPs to remain in the chamber to indicate their no vote.

He estimated 60 per cent of parliament voted yes to the bill and the remaining members abstained.

The bill was not subject to voting on party lines but was a conscience vote of the individual members.

Mr Broadbent said he remained true to his word to the people.

“I have said for two elections that we should have a vote in the parliament and I said I would be voting no. “That’s what I agreed to and that’s what I did. Mr Broadbent said one of the things people most disliked about politicians was when they went back on their word and changed their position on a matter.

“I didn’t do that and I never have, unless I go back to the people to explain why.

“Whatever the issue is, I stick with that,” he said.

Mr Broadbent said there were four ALP members who voted yes, going against their electorates who voted no.

“The vote virtually went with how the people voted in the survey. The parliament reflected the people.

“As a local member, I represented the people who voted no,” he said.

Mr Broadbent has been the target of backlash in social media and letters to the editor from people who have criticised him for not voting yes in accordance with the McMillan survey results.

But, he said, of 20 emails sent to his office on Friday morning, 17 supported the position he took and three criticised him.

Mr Broadbent said there should not have been any misunderstanding amongst his electorate that the survey result would be represented in his vote because he always made his position clear.

Asked whether he expects his vote could be reflected at the next election polls.

“I don’t take any vote for granted. The community will vote according to the issues of the time,” he said.