Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Bernardi is right. They are not allowed to speak. We hear from the other side that they do support, at the moment, a free vote, but where are the other speakers for this side of the debate from the Labor Party on this issue? I would suggest that they are silenced by the Labor Party; they are not allowed to have their voice.

When you look at the position the Labor Party adopted at their recent convention, they are not showing any clarity over what their view is on this issue, because their position at the moment is that the Labor Party will have a free vote until the next election and then, after the next election, their members will be bound to support their party's policy in favour of a change to the Marriage Act.