“The Greens have been campaigning on this issue for many years and as Prime Minister Mr Rudd strongly and consistently opposed it,”said Mr Ebbs.
Mr Ebbs accepts the former Prime Minister’s claims that the conversion is genuine and untainted by political considerations.
“The recent rally in Brisbane was moving and effective. The singing in the NZ parliament after the marriage equality vote in that country brought tears to many people’s eyes around the world. The question is simply how effective a former Prime Minister can be after so publicly damning the idea when he had the authority to do something about it.”
Greens Member for Melbourne, Adam Bandt, has tabled his private members bill on Marriage Equality to be voted on again in two weeks. Independent member for Sydney, Alexander Greenwich has challenged Mr Rudd to vote for the bill in Parliament.
“It’s the same old story,” Mr Ebbs said, “The Greens work hard for years to push important issues and get rubbished for it then, when the tide turns, opportunistic pollies jump on board.”