THE Irish referendum giving the green light to equality in marriage leaves nowhere to hide for its most entrenched opponents in Australia and exposes conservative politicians to the political imperatives of change.
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The refusal of the Coalition to trust its members with a conscience vote, insulated by traditional Christian institutional formularies, will come under close scrutiny following the overwhelming yes vote from a conservative Catholic country.
Locally, the last time this matter was given an airing member for Farrer Sussan Ley said she was waiting for electoral support.
The then federal member for Indi Sophie Mirabella simply restated the traditional Catholic position reinforced by her own conservative spin and the Prime Minister similarly stated his clear ideological opposition on the same basis.
With the same misjudgement that almost ended his political career in knighting the Duke of Edinburgh, Tony Abbott seems intent on earning the accolade of, if not the king Canute of Australian marriage equality, then at least a knight of the order.
— FR PETER MACLEOD-MILLER,
St Matthew’s Church, Albury
