Plan to hold national plebiscite on same sex marriage via postal vote

EXCLUSIVE: Conservative Turnbull Government ministers are pushing to hold a national plebiscite on same sex marriage by postal vote.

Turnbull Government ministers are pushing for a same-sex marriage plebiscite via postal vote.

• Conservatives will raise a glass to gay marriage
• Calls for same sex marriage bill to be renamed

CONSERVATIVE Turnbull Government ministers are pushing to hold a national plebiscite on same sex marriage by postal vote.

The Daily Telegraph understands conservative Liberal MPs have held recent discussions with their cabinet colleagues about the feasibility of holding a plebiscite by postal vote.

The postal vote plebiscite on same sex marriage would be voluntary.

Under this model, the Australian Electoral Commission would send out postal ballots and it would be voluntary for Australians to partake in the vote on same sex marriage.

MPs told The Daily Telegraph this option does not require legislation change and would get around the decision by Labor and the Greens to kill-off the plebiscite.

The Australian Electoral Commission’s chief legal officer Paul Pirani has confirmed to the parliament that a plebiscite could be held without the parliament passing enabling legislation, using a “voluntary postal vote methodology”.

Some moderate MPs have expressed reservations about the plan.

But moderate MPs have expressed reservations that this model would create public anger that the party was bypassing the parliament.

It would also be a non-compulsory ballot, so could undermine the outcome if there is a low voter turnout.

There are also concerns a plebiscite of any nature would also dominate the political agenda for the months leading up to it.

Related

Ministers in the Turnbull Government have been pushing to get same-sex marriage off the agenda.

It is a divisive issue in the Coalition, with the Nationals and the right of the Liberal Party strongly against holding a free conscience vote on the policy.

The Nationals have not budged from their view that a conscience vote would be a breach of the Coalition agreement leader Barnaby Joyce signed with Malcolm Turnbull.