Same-sex marriage: ‘No’ voters leave ALP seats open to conservatives

Labor could be vulnerable in western Sydney to a conservative party seizing on voter discontent over same-sex marriage.

Jason Clare. Photo: Kym Smith

Labor could be vulnerable in western Sydney to a conservative party seizing on voter discontent over same-sex marriage, but it is questionable whether any existing political parties would appeal in the ethnically diverse region.

As Labor MP Jason Clare maintained his determination to vote Yes in parliament, despite his seat recording the country’s highest No vote, Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party NSW MP Robert Borsak said he believed there was an opportunity for a conservative party to win over voters in western Sydney who believed their views on same-sex marriage had been demonised by the major parties.

Mr Clare, Labor’s trade spokesman, said yesterday he had been upfront with his electorate about his support for a change to marriage laws.

Conservative Liberals also believe same-sex marriage could be an issue for moderate sitting members.

In the seat of Mitchell in northwestern Sydney, held by Liberal Alex Hawke, 50.9 per cent of voters were also opposed to change. Former Liberal Party member John Ruddick said he believed the electorate, home to many evangelical Christians, was the federal seat in NSW most vulnerable to Cory Bernardi’s Australian Conservatives.

“If Cory Bernardi is going to win a NSW lower house seat at the next federal election it will be Mitchell,” Mr Ruddick said.

He has threatened to lead a ­defection from the NSW Liberals to the Australian Conservatives if reforms to democratise the party are rejected. A vote on the reforms was due to occur on December 9 but has been pushed back to at least February.

Results of the same-sex ­marriage plebiscite revealed voters in 12 federal electorates in Sydney’s west, northwest and southwest, rejected a change to marriage laws — nine of them held by Labor. Blaxland, the safest Labor seat in the country, recorded a No vote of 73.9 per cent.

Other religious groups in western Sydney who turned out against same-sex marriage included Maronites, Copts and evangelical Christian churches. Sydney residents of Indian and Chinese heritage also voted against gay marriage.

Coalition sources said yesterday that in last year’s federal election Liberal candidates for western Sydney seats — particularly former Liverpool mayor Ned Mannoun, a Lebanese-Australian Muslim — had polled strongly until Labor’s “Mediscare” campaign scared voters away.

Mr Borsak questioned whether existing conservative parties could usurp Labor in western Sydney.

He said the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers, which had gained ground on the Nationals in NSW, had no interest in the issue of same-sex marriage.

He questioned whether the Australian Conservatives, which campaigned for a No vote, would appeal to ethnic voters, including Muslims. Senator Bernardi has targeted halal certification and called for a ban on the burka.

Mr Clare, regarded as one of Labor’s rising stars, said yesterday he would not “replace one form of discrimination with another” when it came to determining his support for any protections for ­religious organisations to same-sex marriage.

Australian National University emeritus professor of political ­science John Warhurst said he ­believed same-sex marriage would not have a major impact at the next election and would “not go anywhere near” causing safe Labor seats such as Blaxland to change hands.