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‘I was asked to vote for my own discrimination’

Anthony Albanese, Penny Wong, Bill Shorten and Tanya Plibersek show support for gay marriage in 2015. <i>Photo: AAP</i>i

Anthony Albanese, Penny Wong, Bill Shorten and Tanya Plibersek show support for gay marriage in 2015. Photo: AAPi

Labor’s senate leader Penny Wong delivered a rousing speech on her party’s renewed commitment to recognising same-sex marriage on the final day of the ALP National Conference in Melbourne.

Ms Wong, herself in a same-sex partnership with two young children, is a fierce advocate for marriage equality in Australia. She received a standing ovation as she stood to speak to party delegates.

At the three-day National Conference, Labor’s divided factions reached a compromise on marriage equality as leader Bill Shorten pledged to act on the issue within 100 days should the ALP win the 2016 federal election.

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AAP

While senior leadership was reportedly divided on boat turn backs, Labor seemed united on marriage equality. Photo: AAP

After the one-minute-long ovation, a teary Ms Wong launched into an impassioned speech on how the Labor Party’s stance on same-sex unions had changed since 2004.

“Thank you delegates, that [standing ovation] was a very kind thing to do,” Ms Wong said.

“I was asked in 2004 to vote for my own discrimination.

“Our party is a party of progress … today I commend a resolution which ends the conscience vote in the Labor Party on a matter [same-sex marriage] that should never have been a conscience vote.

“I want to acknowledge the many colleagues who in the last months … have come over to the cause of equality, and I thank you for that.”

Ms Wong called for “those in the Liberal Party who are truly liberals”, to join Labor’s commitment.


Under Labor’s compromise resolution, its federal MPs will be bound to vote for same-sex marriage, but not until after the next two elections.

The 100-day pledge means that if the ALP wins the 2016 federal election, its MPs will still have a conscience vote rather than a binding one.

Mr Shorten and senior Labor figures called on Mr Abbott to let Liberal MPs stand up in the parliament for what they believe in.

“We lay down the challenge to Mr Abbott and his Liberals: please give your members of parliament a free vote so we can make marriage equality a reality now,” Mr Shorten told the ALP national conference.

Ms Wong backed a call from deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek, to work for marriage equality by Christmas, despite the assurance from Labor if it did win government at an election.

– with AAP

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