Hockey keeps Libs out of it

JOE Hockey has ensured that debate over gay marriage remains something Labor and the Greens are fixated on, not the Liberal Party.

Unlike Labor's right-wing powerbroker Mark Arbib, whose revelation in The Weekend Australian that he supports gay marriage is likely to liven up debate on the issue, the Opposition Treasury spokesman told Australian Agenda on SkyNews yesterday that he had always thought marriage should be only between a man and a woman.

Hockey, the unofficial leader of the moderate wing of the Liberals, has ensured that his party does not get caught up in the debate. Without Hockey on board, other moderate Liberals are unlikely to take up the issue.

The Labor Left, despite largely supporting gay marriage, has been pretty silent on the issue lately. After Arbib's comments, and support from Australian Workers Union national secretary Paul Howes, the Left could come out of its shell and push for a change to the party's platform, or at least the conscience vote Arbib wants.

That would leave Julia Gillard embarrassed and politically cornered at a time when she is battling to maintain the confidence of mainstream voters.

The big unknown is whether mainstream voters take a conservative view on gay marriage, or whether community attitudes have liberalised. Arbib is banking on the latter.

Either way the debate could be messy for Labor, and the Prime Minister, who forged a career in the Left of the party but opposes gay marriage, in particular.