Parties must respect both sides

Political leaders on both sides have urged lobby groups and the public to respect opponents’ views about same-sex marriage and conduct a civil debate. The conduct of some within both major political parties, however, has fallen short of the standards politicians demand of others.

On the Labor side, Tasmanian senator Helen Polley, an opponent of same-sex marriage, has been so maligned for her position that she was urged by senior MPs and ALP organisational leaders to pretend she supported changing the Marriage Act. Those attempting to force her hand showed no regard for freedom of speech and freedom of conscience. They have also misread some in Labor’s traditional base, especially older people, who support the status quo and who are concerned about issues of religious freedom surrounding the debate.

As Senator Polley said yesterday, the issue was “very personal, very much a conscience vote, and my Christian belief and my faith tells me one thing”. She is entitled to stand her ground, without pressure from her political colleagues. While Senator Polley says more than half the members of her faction are against same-sex marriage, it is a poor reflection of the totalitarian mindset of the Tasmanian left, the dominant Labor faction in the state, that only same-sex marriage supporters are welcome. At least one other Labor MP who holds similar views to those of Senator Polley prefers not to speak out publicly.

On the Coalition side, the Libs & Nats for Yes lobby foolishly risked a backlash within the party and from conservative voters by asking MPs last week to provide internal party information, known as Feedback files, about constituents to the Yes campaign. The move was a mistake, as Liberal Party federal director Andrew Hirst told The Australian yesterday. It raised concerns among MPs and campaign managers about privacy and about internal party information being misused for a nonpartisan issue.

Nor was it politically savvy or fair to the No side within the Liberal Party. A week ago, Newspoll showed Coalition voters more evenly split than those in any other party between the Yes and No sides, with 47 per cent of Liberal and Nationals voters favouring change and 46 per cent wanting traditional marriage to be retained.

Not surprisingly, the Libs & Nats for Yes group was forced to back down and its leader, former acting federal Liberal Party director Andrew Bragg, spun into damage control. Yesterday, Mr Bragg said he had no contact with Melbourne-based Liberal office-bearer and political consultant David Van before the latter sent out the request. Mr Van, chairman of the Party’s Melbourne Ports and Albert Park electoral committees, says he did not understand the implications of asking for the Feedback files — and none, in the end, was provided.

Tomorrow, the Australian Bureau of Statistics will reveal how many Australians have exercised their right to have their say on same-sex marriage. This democratic approach to a contentious issue is well supported by the public. As key agents of democracy, political parties should respect the rights of their members to differ on the issue and to express their views openly.