he public has spoken and now it’s the politicians turn to debate Same Sex Marriage.
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The Same Sex Marriage bill was debated in the Senate this week.
It was passed by the Senate on Wednesday, with 43 senators voting yes and 12 voting no.
The bill will now be debated in the House of Representatives next week.
Hume MP Angus Taylor said he would be fighting for amendments to the proposed bill while Whitlam MP Stephen Jones will support the bill as it stands.
Mr Taylor said he would listen to the public’s opinion on the matter regardless of his personal opinion on the issue and support the bill.
But said he would still like to see amendments included.
“I’ve always said from five years ago I will accept the voters’ views,” he said.
“I will vote in parliament in line with their view. I will vote with the people’s view.”
But Mr Taylor said it was important people have their freedom of speech protected under any new changes.
“We know the Australian public feel strongly about this [debate] Many people who voted yes still feel strongly about this.”
He stressed there should not be any discrimination or disadvantage against people who believed in a traditional definition of marriage.
Religious freedom was another issue Mr Taylor said needed to be addressed during the debate surrounding the bill.
“It’s a simple principle that plays out in a number of areas.”
He said it was important parents still had rights to decide whether their children should be in classes where the subject matter was at odds with their definition of marriage.
Mr Taylor said it was also important people felt safe expressing their views without fear of being “dragged through the courts”.
“To me, that’s totally inappropriate.”
While 61.6 per cent of the Australia population voted Yes, Mr Taylor said the concerns of all Australians should still be considered during the debate.
“I would love to see the amendments and many people in my electorate would like to see amendments. I will argue for amendments.”
Mr Jones a long term supporter of same sex marriages, he was pleased the bill had gone through the Senate.
“It’s not complicated. Let’s vote it up and get on with all the other business we have to do. I’ll be voting in favour of the bill as it has been passed in the Senate,” he said.
“In my electorate more than 62 per cent voted in favour of this in the survey. It’s a clear mandate for me to do what my conscience is telling be to do.”
