Gibbons ‘is out of touch’

By Clare Quirk
Updated November 7 2012 - 5:38am, first published August 25 2011 - 11:16am

BENDIGO MP Steve Gibbons is out of touch with the community when it comes to same-sex marriage, according to Country Awareness Network chief executive Adam Wright. Mr Wright’s comments come after Mr Gibbons said he would continue to follow the party line on legalising same-sex marriage and it was a low priority.Mr Wright said the government was not listening to constituents and the impacts on young people were harmful.“I’m quite disappointed,” he said.“There is a misconception that regional communities are conservative but I think they are more likely to stand together. They are more likely to say live and let live.“We know majority say they’re not against it.“I think people have a right to anything as long as it doesn’t infringe on my rights.“If it did come to a conscience vote he might change his mind and it’s a shame he’s not saying so.“This impacts on young people. While they battle discrimination they’re being sent mixed messages. “On the one hand we tell them that they can’t be discriminated against but this law is allowing discrimination.”Mr Gibbons said he had received thousands of emails on same-sex marriage.“It has been constant lobbying from both sides of the argument,” he said.“There has been that many emails, it would be thousands. All we can do is delete them.“I am a member of a national party and people have the right to lobby all parties on issues people see fit.“But I also have the right to allocate what my staff attend to. “That issue is not on my priority list at this stage – it is a low, low priority.”

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