MP urged to stand by vote promise

Amelup farmers Darren Moir and Nigel Lock have urged O’Connor MP Rick Wilson to honour the decision of his electorate in supporting same-sex marriage in Parliament.

Mr Moir, a fifth-generation farmer from Amelup, just north of the Stirling Range, said he and his partner, Mr Lock, shed a tear when the postal plebiscite result was revealed last Wednesday.

Growing up as a gay man in rural WA has not been an easy experience for Mr Moir, who came out to his family and friends in his early 30s.

He met his partner six years ago and the pair now have a two-and-a-half-year-old son, living with a picturesque view of the Stirling Range.

Mr Moir and Mr Lock have been engaged for four years, waiting for the Australian Marriage Act to be changed to allow same-sex couples to marry.

Despite traditionally being a conservative electorate, in O’Connor 56.2 percent of voters supported same-sex marriage.

Mr Moir said he was thrilled to see his electorate had rallied behind same-sex couples.

“It’s great to know that every electorate in WA, including O’Connor, supports same sex marriage,” he said.

“Even Rick Wilson was talking to vote for it — so everyone wanted to be in the winning circle now.”

Member for O’Connor Rick Wilson voted against changing the Marriage Act during the postal survey, but said he would vote in favour of it in Parliament to reflect his electorate’s views.

However, Mr Wilson said he would abstain from voting if the Bill did not contain what he called “adequate protections” for religious organisations.

Mr Moir said Mr Wilson’s protest would amount to nothing. “It’s going to get passed with or without them — so if they wanted to do their thing, then that’s fine,” he said.

“I think it’s very sad for them. They might not have gay kids but they might have gay grandkids in the future.

“I don’t know how they could sit at their wedding one day and know that they were opposed to it.

“But at the end of the day, Rick Wilson was a very great supporter of this postal plebiscite, so he doesn’t get to set the rules afterwards. “They wanted this and they’ve got the result.

“Now they just have to get on with it, suck it up and pass the legislation.”

After the 61.6 per cent “yes” result, Federal Parliament is ready to approve the same-sex marriage Bill before Christmas.

“It’s going to be a spring wedding,” Mr Moir said.

“I assure you the frocks and the drag queens will be sensational.”