Someone, somehow must end policy sore over same-sex marriage

Malcolm Turnbull has told colleagues he is holding to the government’s official policy, declared by Tony Abbott in August 2015, to let Australians vote on the question at a plebiscite. Picture: AAP

Marriage equality by Christmas. That is the dream of Liberal MPs who believe the time has come to bring this policy nightmare to an end.

The Coalition’s endless infighting over same-sex marriage will keep damaging the government until somebody makes a move to end the impasse.

Malcolm Turnbull has told colleagues he is holding to the government’s official policy, declared by Tony Abbott in August 2015, to let Australians vote on the question at a plebiscite.

That means Liberal MPs have to find another way to change the law — and they are thinking of doing so with a private member’s bill.

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The MPs have at least three reasons to move soon. The first is the “untenable” position of going to the next election with the plebiscite as their policy, binding themselves and their colleagues in yet another parliament.

The second is the fact that Liberal National Party MP George Christensen last week crossed the floor on penalty rates — a fundamental issue for the conservatives — without punishment. Isn’t this a precedent for Liberals to cross the floor on an issue they feel equally strong about?

The third is the sense that voters are driving away from the “peoples’ vote”. A Newspoll last September found that 48 per cent of voters want parliament to decide the matter while only 39 per cent want a popular vote.

Bill Shorten wrecked the Coalition policy as soon as he, Labor and the Senate crossbench voted against the plan to hold a plebiscite earlier this year.

The obvious weaknesses in the plebiscite are its cost — at least $160 million — and the statements from Coalition MPs who say they will vote against change no matter what the people decide.

Given that 62 per cent of voters told Newspoll they would vote for marriage equality, some Liberals believe it is better to get this change done soon.

It might only take three Liberals to secure a majority in the lower house to pass marriage equality. Labor has 69 votes. Another four on the crossbench favour change. While Turnbull and his ministers will be bound by party policy, backbenchers are free to cross the floor.

Labor, the Greens and the Nick Xenophon Team have almost half the Senate and would only need some of the crossbench to make marriage equality a reality — assuming nobody breaks ranks within the Labor caucus.

The leak of Christopher Pyne’s remarks shows how any move on same-sex marriage will be used against Turnbull, even if he backs a plebiscite at every turn. Yesterday’s ugly display of conservative outrage is more proof the government will be better off with this issue behind it.

After all, parliament decides the law, not the Prime Minister.