Aust. Greens call for civil union conscience vote

Greens call for civil union conscience vote

Prime Minister John Howard must allow a conscience vote on the Greens' motion to disallow the regulation which would remove the ACT's civil union legislation from the statute books, Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.

"The Prime Minister should put this matter to a conscience vote,"
Senator Brown said.

"Unlike Chief Minister Jon Stanhope who campaigned, and was elected, on the issue of civil unions, John Howard has no mandate to unilaterally abolish them."

"A conscience vote would give former ACT Chief Minister, Senator Gary
Humphries and Northern Territory Senator Nigel Scullion, the opportunity to vote to uphold the rights of territory governments to self-determination," Senator Brown said.

"Prime Minister Howard has returned from meeting George W. Bush convinced that same sex civil unions are dangerous and that nuclear enrichment is safe. He is wrong on both counts," Senator Brown said.

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