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October 22nd, 2011 
FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda THE Labor Party must change its policy platform to at least allow a conscience vote on gay marriage if it is to rejuvenate its flagging membership and modernise, the party’s national president, Jenny McAllister says.
Ms McAllister was commenting yesterday as sources confirmed the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, would express a preference for a conscience vote rather than full legalisation of gay marriage, before the issue is debated at Labor’s national conference in December.
Ms Gillard is on the record as opposing gay marriage, which is current Labor policy.
By expressing a preference for a conscience vote, it allows her to stay opposed while avoiding what would be a messy split in the Right faction which is divided over the issue.
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The Right is roughly evenly split over legalising gay marriage but about two thirds would support a conscience vote.
The Right is also the faction that holds Ms Gillard’s fate in its hands and its support for her was sorely tested last week with what was perceived to be a botched handling of the asylum seekers policy debate by allowing the issue to overshadow the government’s carbon tax victory the day before.
“There was absolute bedlam in the Right,” a source said.
The Left will still push at national conference for the party policy to support the legalisation of gay marriage but the faction’s bosses accept a conscience vote will be the most likely outcome.
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Ms McAllister, who is from the Left, told the Herald yesterday that such was the momentum within party ranks, especially among the younger members, that to not change policy at conference would be unthinkable.
“It’s certainly an issue for young people and has become symbolic of our appeals to members and the reform campaign,” she said.
By expressing a preference for a conscience vote over legalisation beforehand, Ms Gillard could be accused of trying to bind the conference.
But one source said it would be unsustainable for the Prime Minister not to state a position before the conference.
“The strong rumour about the place is she’ll put a stake in the ground.”
If Labor does change policy to allow a conscience vote, there is little chance the Parliament will then legalise gay marriage. The numbers are tight in the Parliament and, with the Coalition opposed, only a handful of Labor MPs would also need to be opposed to defeat any bill.
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