AUSTRALIA: Same-Sex Marriage Bill Might Be Debated In Senate Next Week

From Sydney's ABC affiliate:

Crossbench senator David Leyonhjelm will ramp up the pressure on the Government over same-sex marriage, by pushing for debate on his bill next week. The Liberal Democrat has already introduced the draft legislation to legalise gay marriage and will move to start debate in the Upper House this sitting fortnight. Labor MPs have previously been able to cast a conscience vote on the issue. But in the last parliament, the Coalition's position was to oppose changing the Marriage Act. The Prime Minister, who promised to take the question of a free vote to his party room after the 2013 election, says he remains opposed to the bill. A number of Liberal MPs including Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull have publicly backed same-sex marriage. Senator Leyonhjelm said bringing on the debate next week would push the Government to have the party room discussion about a free vote.

Leyonhjelm says that he believes the bill would pass in the Senate but would likely fail in the House.