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July 7th, 2012 
FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda <!–
Malcolm Turnbull has announced he supports gay marriage. But he says that is unlikely to pass Parliament, and gay marriage campaigners should settle for civil union laws passing Parliament. Activists say civil unions are an insulting compromise that entrench discrimination.
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ELIZABETH JACKSON: Opposition frontbencher Malcolm Turnbull has broken ranks with his colleagues and called for laws allowing civil unions for gay people.
Two bills on gay marriage are currently before the Federal Parliament but the Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott is denying Coalition MPs a conscience vote on the matter.
But Mr Turnbull says he believes one of the bills will be passed, allowing gay civil unions before the next election.
Tom Nightingale reports.
TOM NIGHTINGALE: Until now, Malcolm Turnbull maintained gay marriage campaigns held back other equality reforms.
But in delivering the Michael Kirby lecture last night, the Liberal MP said he backed gay marriage.
He also conceded it was unlikely to pass Parliament and those campaigning for gay marriage should compromise.
MALCOLM TURNBULL: I think it would be a great pity if marriage is not able to be passed in the Parliament, civil unions – that that opportunity to pass civil unions should be taken up and I think it probably will be.
TOM NIGHTINGALE: At the moment gay people can enter a civil union in some states and territories.
Federally the Labor Party has changed its platform to approve gay marriage and allow a conscience vote in Federal Parliament.
Two bills are before Parliament proposing gay marriage.
But the Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott, has denied Coalition MPs a conscience vote.
It’s been reported Mr Abbott would demote any frontbencher, including Mr Turnbull, who broke ranks in Parliament.
Malcolm Turnbull says he would vote for the bills if Tony Abbott allowed them to do so.
MALCOLM TURNBULL: I don’t think Mr Abbott is likely to change his mind; he’s made a decision on that and has support of party room, so I don’t think there will be a conscience vote.
TOM NIGHTINGALE: This morning Mr Turnbull was unavailable for comment.
Mr Abbott’s office said Mr Turnbull backs the shadow cabinet’s position and will vote accordingly in Parliament.
There’s strong support for gay marriage in Mr Turnbull’s inner-city seat of Wentworth.
But Alex Greenwich of the National Marriage Equality campaign says Mr Turnbull’s comments might be more about national politics than anything else.
ALEX GREENWICH: If Malcolm Turnbull was responding to political pressure, to me it would make sense that that political pressure would be from the strong grassroots momentum for marriage equality within his party and also the huge support for the issue within his own electorate.
To put that aside for any other pressure from other parts of the Liberal Party does not make sense because for him to do that would be for him to disengage from his base.
TOM NIGHTINGALE: He and other gay rights activists say Mr Turnbull’s support for civil unions is insulting.
ALEX GREENWICH: Eighty per cent of Australian same sex couples have access to them, and they’re not taking them up because they want to be treated the same as their brother or sister.
Marriage is about a loving and committed relationship between two people which is celebrated before their families. Civil unions is something that people really don’t understand what it means.
TOM NIGHTINGALE: Mr Turnbull says he believes laws allowing civil unions will pass Parliament before the next federal election.
ELIZABETH JACKSON: Tom Nightingale reporting.
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