MP on ‘fence’ for gay voting

MICHELLE HERBISON
CORANGAMITE MP Darren Cheeseman has refused to reveal his position on legalising same-sex marriage.
Mr Cheeseman described himself to the Independent as “a traditionalist” but said he was “open minded” about how he would cast a conscience vote on the issue.
He expected the vote in parliament in the first half of next year after his Labor party amended its policy platform to allow a conscience vote on same-sex marriage.
“I’ve previously taken a traditionalist view on this question but I’m not going to make my mind up on legislation that I haven’t yet seen,” he said.
Mr Cheeseman said the debate over regarded gay marriage as “not a pressing issue”.
But he thought that most voters in the region would support a change to allow same-sex couples to marry.
“My observation is there has been a pretty dramatic change in community sentiment over the past 10 years.”
Mr Cheeseman said he planned to engage Geelong’s community on the issue over summer.
He backed a conscience vote because the issue was “deeply personal” for MPs.
“Just because the Prime Minister might go one way on this issue doesn’t mean all parliamentarians will go in that same direction.”
Labor Member for Corio Richard Marles has publicly declared his support for same-sex marriage “in terms of a potential amendment to the Family Law Act”.
Liberal Senator Michael Ronaldson accused Mr Cheeseman of cowardice.
“Darren Cheeseman is constantly running and hiding. He’s an elected representative and he owes it to his constituents to tell them where he stands on these matters.”
“He did not have the courage to speak on Labor’s toxic carbon tax when the matter went before parliament. It would now appear he hasn’t got the courage to tell people about his views on this matter either.”