Rudd makes gay marriage an election issue
14 Aug 2013 3:42 AM IST
Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd said on Monday that it was time to end the ‘acrimonious’ debate on gay marriage, after he vowed to introduce a bill legalising same-sex unions if returned to office.
Rudd said that if re-elected on 7 September, Labor would introduce a bill within 100 days, becoming the first Australian leader to promise to support marriage equality.
‘Frankly, in 2013, I think the time has come to put this acrimonious debate behind us,’ the leader, who has previously been against gay marriage, told reporters on Monday. Rudd, who is trailing conservative opposition leader Tony Abbott in opinion polls, said it was a reform millions of Australians had waited a long time to see become law.
‘I’ve been thinking about the meaning of marriage for a long time - and I won’t hide the fact that this has been a journey for me,’ he said.
‘It is a difficult discussion, and I won’t force this on anyone. It will be a free vote for members of the Labor party.
‘But here is what I know: we are at our best when we give all Australians the same dignity, the same opportunity for happiness.
‘I believe that no matter who we love, we all should be able to make that same promise I was able to make to Therese over 30 years ago. That all of us should be allowed to marry the one we love,’ he added, referring to his wife Therese Rein.
Rudd initially promised to introduce the bill during the first debate of the election campaign last night.
Rudd said that if re-elected on 7 September, Labor would introduce a bill within 100 days, becoming the first Australian leader to promise to support marriage equality.
‘Frankly, in 2013, I think the time has come to put this acrimonious debate behind us,’ the leader, who has previously been against gay marriage, told reporters on Monday. Rudd, who is trailing conservative opposition leader Tony Abbott in opinion polls, said it was a reform millions of Australians had waited a long time to see become law.
‘I’ve been thinking about the meaning of marriage for a long time - and I won’t hide the fact that this has been a journey for me,’ he said.
‘It is a difficult discussion, and I won’t force this on anyone. It will be a free vote for members of the Labor party.
‘But here is what I know: we are at our best when we give all Australians the same dignity, the same opportunity for happiness.
‘I believe that no matter who we love, we all should be able to make that same promise I was able to make to Therese over 30 years ago. That all of us should be allowed to marry the one we love,’ he added, referring to his wife Therese Rein.
Rudd initially promised to introduce the bill during the first debate of the election campaign last night.
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