Victory is sweet, but the fight isn’t over

MOST Tasmanian federal MPs stand ready to support same-sex marriage legislation in the wake of the overwhelming “yes” result in the postal survey.

More than 300,000 Tasmanians responded, with 63.6 per cent saying “yes”, 36.4 per cent saying “no” and 20.3 per cent failed to respond.

As Liberal Senator Dean Smith introduced the Bill into the Senate late yesterday attention turned to a bitter battle over amendments being demanded by conservatives.

Diehard members of their respective parties, Labor’s Helen Polley and Liberal Eric Abetz, are pushing for protection of freedom of speech, religious freedom and parental rights.

The state’s five Lower House MP’s – four Labor and independent Andrew Wilkie – all support same-sex marriage.

A controversial Bill by Liberal James Paterson being pushed by conservatives and the Coalition for Marriage seeking a right for florists, cakemakers, venue owners and marriage celebrants to refuse to cater for same-sex wed- dings has been withdrawn.

It came as Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the 61.6 per cent national ‘yes’ vote meant that it was up to the Parliament to get it done before Christmas.

“We must respect the voice of the people and it is our job now to get on with it,” he said.

Eight of Tasmania’s 10 remaining senators, minus Stephen Parry and Jacqui Lambie, who resigned because of the dual citizen crisis, look set to respect the result Bill, depending on amendments.

Franklin MP Julie Collins said the result was a strong show of support for LGBTI Tasmanians and their families.

“As parliamentarians we owe them a swift resolution to this issue,” she said. Denison MP Andrew Wilkie said it was a win for the thousands of same-sex couples who just wanted to have the same rights as everyone else.

“But the fight isn’t over. Malcolm Turnbull must reject the attempts by some conservative members of the Liberal Party, which would entrench new forms of discrimination and bigotry in Australian law,” he said.

“The religious protections in the Dean Smith Bill are sufficient and the Parliament needs to do its job and make same-sex marriage law in the next sitting week of Parliament.”

Senator Abetz, a key no campaigner, has previously said he would be “guided” by the Tasmanian result.

“I will use my vote to seek to ensure that the best possible protections for classical liberal values [freedom of speech and religion] and then depending on how much of that is able to be gained in the Parliament then I will consider what my final vote is,” he said.

Labor Senator Lisa Singh said conservatives needed to respect the voice of the Australian people and get out of the way.

“They cannot and must not try to reverse anti-discrimination laws by stealth,” she said.

Greens Senators Peter Whish-Wilson and Nick McKim said they supported the current Bill.