The Labor Party has agreed to back a Liberal backbencher’s bill which would prevent civil celebrants from refusing to perform same-sex marriages.
Instead, a new category for celebrants who choose not to marry same-sex couples on religious grounds will be created.
The Labor caucus met on Tuesday to discuss the issue of religious protections in the law in the case of a ‘Yes’ vote win.
The bill was put forward by West Australian Liberal Dean Smith in August and allows religious ministers to retain their current rights to refuse weddings on various grounds.
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Under Mr Smith’s bill, civil celebrants would not be allowed to reject weddings to same-sex couples.
Instead, a new category of ‘independent religious celebrants’ would be created. They would have the right to refuse marriage on the basis of the celebrant’s religious belief.
Labor will push the government to put Mr Smith’s bill to parliament as soon as possible following the survey’s results and without any amendments.
Labor MPs will have a conscience vote on the bill, as will Coalition MPs in the case of a ‘Yes’ vote win.
November 9 is the final deadline for members of the public to return their same-sex marriage postal surveys, with the results to be released on November 15.
