Same-sex marriage: Conservative MPs prepare to block moderates’ manouevre

EXCLUSIVE: Conservative government MPs are frantically marshalling their numbers to foil a plot by moderate Liberals planning to reignite the same-sex marriage debate this week.

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CONSERVATIVE government MPs are frantically marshalling their numbers to foil a plot by moderate Liberals planning to reignite the same-sex marriage debate this week.

Conservatives, including one senior government minister, caught wind of the secret plan to lobby Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to abandon his commitment to hold a plebiscite on marriage equality.

The Sunday Telegraph can reveal up to 12 Liberal MPs and senators ­intended to sign a letter and present it to Mr Turnbull as soon as Monday, urging him to revisit the government’s plebiscite policy before the May Budget.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten appeared at this month’s Sydney Mardi Gras. Picture: Adam Taylor

The plot was negotiated by a group of moderate Liberal MPs in a late-night meeting in a senior minister’s office earlier this month.

The group argue same-sex marriage should be dealt with in the next fortnight because it is “necessary to guarantee clear air for the Budget”.

Several cabinet ministers were aware of the plan to ambush the PM with the letter, which was backed by moderate Liberal MPs including Tim Wilson, Trent Zimmerman and ­Warren Entsch.

But in frantic weekend negotiations, senior government MPs tried to foil the plot urging same-sex marriage advocates not to act before the Budget because their colleagues “continued to support a plebiscite”.

Supporters were also told the timing was no longer right given the move by 20 of Australia’s top CEOs to publicly push the Prime Minister to legalise same-sex marriage last week.

Marriage equality was again the theme for Sydney’s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

News of the latest plot is expected to inflame Coalition tensions as MPs return to Canberra today for the final sitting fortnight before the Budget.

One same-sex marriage backer said: “The issue is not going to go away ... I want (Treasurer Scott) Morrison to have the best chance to sell his first post-election budget and this issue is an ever-present risk.”

Supporters of same-sex marriage now believe if Mr Turnbull buckles to conservative pressure to amend the Racial Discrimination Act, which would break an election promise, he could also be persuaded to break his election commitment to hold a plebiscite and instead allow Liberal MPs a free vote in Parliament.

Last month a Senate committee reached consensus on how the Marriage Act could be changed while ­allowing religious exemptions.

Conservatives want Mr Turnbull to stick to his election commitment to hold a plebiscite, even though it was defeated in Parliament last year.

Any move away from that position could damage relations between the Liberal Party and Nationals and could prompt some government MPs to ­resign, threatening the Government’s one-seat majority in the House.

Conservative Liberals are split ­between staunch opponents of marriage reform and those who accept it will eventually pass Parliament.