Australian Labor MP on same-sex marriage: 'This is an issue of legal discrimination'

For Tanya Plibersek, the deputy leader of Australia's Labor Party, legalising same-sex marriage is a simple matter of righting an injustice.

"I think this is an issue of legal discrimination against one group in our community," she said on ABC's Q&A program Monday night. "Do we have a conscience vote about whether we allow racism in our community? Do we have a conscience vote on whether we allow sexism or ageism? We don't."

See also: A global offering of love to 31 Australian couples whose marriages were voided

While Labor's platform has supported same-sex marriage since 2011, its members are currently permitted a conscience vote when a marriage equality bill comes before parliamentA conscience vote — a rare occurrence in Australia — allows members of parliament (MPs) to vote as their own moral, religious or political beliefs dictate on topics such as abortion and euthanasia, and not along party lines. Read more...

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