Gay community advocates have welcomed the re-election of Ruth Forrest to the Tasmanian Upper House seat of Murchison in the state’s traditionally conservative North West saying it shows marriage equality is a vote winner in rural and regional Australia.
In 2012 and 2013 Ms Forrest twice sponsored state same-sex marriage legislation, earning the ire of the Australian Christian Lobby that this week urged its supporters to pray she lost her seat.
Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group spokesperson, Rodney Croome, said,
“Ruth Forrest’s re-election proves that when rural and regional MPs pro-actively support marriage equality it is a vote winner.”
“The message to members of the Federal Government is that voters will get behind them when they get behind marriage equality.”
Mr Croome went on to say Tasmanian political debate will benefit from Ms Forrest’s re-election.
“Ruth Forrest is one of Tasmania’s most hard-working, policy-literate and solutions-focused politicians.”
“The entire state will benefit from her re-election.”
Ms Forrest’s seat of Murchison takes in the Tasmania’s far north west and west coasts which have traditionally been regarded as some of the state’s most socially conservative regions.
For a news report on the Christian Lobby’s campaign against Ms Forrest, click here: http://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/4640558/group-urging-prayers-for-forrest-to-lose/
Rodney Croome, justequal
