Liberal MPs pushing same-sex marriage bill failed to mention it in maiden speeches

THE rebel Liberal MPs forcing a debate over same-sex marriage have betrayed their local electorates by hijacking the government agenda over an issue they never even mentioned in their maiden speeches.

The maiden speeches of the Liberal MPs gone rogue hardly matches with their new demands.

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THE Liberals’ key political advocates of same-sex marriage have betrayed their local electorates by failing to mention in their maiden speeches the cause over which they would later hijack the Turnbull government.

As the Liberal Party room is being hauled back to Parliament on Monday to debate same-sex marriage, Liberal MPs Dean Smith, Tim Wilson, Warren Entsch and Trevor Evans have discussed a plan to suspend standing orders and bring their gay marriage bill to the house, even if the Liberal party moves today for a future postal plebiscite on the issue.

Cabinet will meet this morning where, among other issues — including national security — the plebiscite is likely to be discussed.

Liberal Member for Leichhardt Warren Entsch. Picture: AAP

Senator Dean Smith.

Yet four of the five MPs planning to bring the bill to the house did not mention marriage equality in their maiden speech, with the member for North Sydney Trent Zimmerman the only one to openly say he supported same-sex marriage.

Victorian sources have revealed Tim Wilson pledged during his preselection process not to be a gay activist if he entered Parliament.

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Liberal member for Goldstein Tim Wilson during Question Time. Picture: AAP

On this basis, the Liberal Right faction did not block his candidacy.

“Tim won his preselection by two votes out of 300. During his campaign, he sat and looked a lot of people in the eye and said he will not be a gay rights advocate,” a senior Liberal source said.

Mr Wilson made no apologies for telling preselectors he would not be an activist on gay marriage, and said his electorate supported reform.

The maiden speeches of the Liberal MPs gone rogue hardly matches with their new demands.

“This issue has come up in every parliament for more than a decade and the current process was developed by Tony Abbott before I was elected,” he said. “But I don’t shy away from debates. Consistent opinion polling has shown that (his constituency) Goldstein has the highest support for a change in the law in the nation.”

His comments came after he revealed to The Daily Telegraph last week that he would consider supporting a Liberal motion to suspend standing orders and a Liberal gay marriage bill.

Protesters march through the Sydney CBD demanding recognition of same-sex marriage. Picture: Getty Images

Senator Smith also did not mention gay marriage in his maiden speech. Instead he spoke about his family, smaller government, limited taxation and a fairer share of the GST for Western Australia.

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Describing himself as a “self-confessed traditionalist”, he said his two “great passions” were for the federation and for the constitutional monarchy.

“In the broad church that is the modern Liberal Party, I sit comfortably on the conservative side of the aisle and I readily admit that I am a traditionalist,” he said. Senator Smith said he was “a gay man from a conservative-leaning party in a conservative state,” but made no mention of his belief in marriage equality.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has committed to plebiscite. Picture: AAP

The group of Liberal MPs released their private member’s bill yesterday, ahead of it being brought to the Liberal party room at 4pm today, before it is discussed at the Joint party room meeting with the Nationals tomorrow.

The plebiscite by post has gained popularity as it allows a way to honour the Turnbull government’s election commitment without it first being legislated.

Labor is likely to support Senator Smith’s bill.