Gay MP proposes to partner in House

AUSTRALIA: Looking up to the public gallery from his seat in the House of Representatives, Liberal MP Tim Wilson neared the end of his speech and paused.

‘‘There’s only one thing left to do,’’ he said, choking up slightly. ‘‘Ryan Patrick Bolger, will you marry me?’’

It was, in all likelihood, the first marriage proposal to be made on the floor of Parliament. And the answer came back fast and loud: ‘‘Yes.’’

The word has been heard ad nauseum in recent weeks, but rarely in a context so personal. The Melbourne pair have considered themselves fiances for years, and now, as same-sex marriage enters the final stretch of parliamentary debate, their longawaited wedding day finally nears.

The joyous moment followed a fiery speech in which Wilson castigated the Liberal Party over its tortured path toward enabling marriage equality.

‘‘They have been prepared to discard numerous principles – parliamentary supremacy, representative democracy, our party’s tradition of a free vote, fiscal prudence and free speech,’’ Wilson said.

‘‘I take great pride in being able to say at every single occasion I stood up and defended our institutions, traditions and freedoms ahead of the politics of the day. Some took a stop-changeat-all-costs approach, and the full costs now come with it. That was their choice – not those seeking change, and not mine. My conscience is clear.’’

The Liberal Party should ‘‘reflect on this debate and learn from it’’, Wilson said. ‘‘Some of us are liberals, real liberals, living [Robert] Menzies’ address to his 1965 federal council that we are not the party of the past, not the conservative party dying hard on the last barricade, but one with a lively mind and a forward-looking heart.’’

The legalisation of same-sex marriage would make lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex Australians ‘‘full citizens for the first time’’, Wilson said.

Other gay Liberal MPs, including Trent Zimmerman and Trevor Evans, spoke in favour of the bill yesterday after it was introduced by LGBTI ally and gay rights campaigner in the Liberal Party, Warren Entsch.

Debate on the bill is expected to conclude tomorrow or Thursday and pass easily. –

PHOTO: FAIRFAX Liberal MP Tim Wilson is embraced by colleague Trent Zimmerman after speaking during debate on the Marriage Amendment Bill in the Australian parliament in Canberra yesterday. Inset, Ryan Bolger, Wilson’s partner.