Labor frontbencher David Feeney has rebuked deputy leader Tanya Plibersek over her push to compel Labor MPs to vote for same-sex marriage, while also lashing ALP colleagues who are "fixated" on the Israel and Palestine issue.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The socially conservative West Australian Labor senator Joe Bullock has also vowed to fight Ms Plibersek's push to bind MPs to support same-sex marriage, rather than allowing a conscience vote as is currently the case.
He would not rule out crossing the floor of the Parliament if a vote was called on the issue, which could lead to his expulsion from the ALP.
"At the moment Labor members have a conscience vote and I'll vote with mine. I will fight this at conference so there is not an issue, let's see if there is a problem after conference," he said.
Senate crossbencher David Leyonhjelm wants the Parliament to reconsider same-sex marriage after it previously rejected a proposal in 2012, but is waiting to see if the Liberal Party will change its position to give its MPs a free vote.
After a week overseas attending Anzac Day commemorations, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten is facing growing divisions in the Labor Party, with Mr Feeney's criticism of his frontbench colleague in particular likely to escalate the damaging internal fights.
Mr Shorten and Ms Plibersek refused to answer questions about Palestine on Wednesday, with the deputy leader declaring "I don't think today is the day for these other questions" following the execution of the Bali nine duo.
But Mr Feeney, who is Labor's justice spokesman, was critical of Ms Plibersek's push for a binding position on same-sex marriage.
"It is impossible for Labor to be arguing on the one hand that the Liberals should introduce a conscience vote and on the other hand remove its own," he said.
Mr Feeney subsequently told Sky News that, while he supported same-sex marriage, he did not support the ALP coercing people to vote in favour of it and that a conscience vote was the right approach for both major political parties.
The comments from Mr Feeney and Senator Bullock come after union power broker Joe de Bruyn and Labor frontbencher Joel Fitzgibbon criticised Ms Plibersek's proposal which, nevertheless, has broad support in the Left .
And Mr Feeney questioned the push for a national conference resolution, which will be led by NSW frontbencher Tony Burke after discussions with Mr Shorten, for a future Labor government to recognise Palestine as a state in the absence of progress towards a two-state solution.
Mr Feeney said that "with so much going on in the Middle East, with more Arabs killed very year in Syria than have been killed in the history of Arab-Israeli conflict, the fixation on Israel is just that" and that his view was "unilateral recognition of Palestine doesn't accomplish anything for the Palestinian people until that state is a reality on the ground".
The combined forces of the NSW Right and the national Left faction give that resolution a good chance to succeed.
Some in the party are roiling with anger that the two issues have been raised ahead of the Abbott government's make or break second budget.
One Right MP said anger in the party with Ms Plibersek was "unbelievable" and her actions were a "white hot f--- you" to Mr Shorten, while Left MPs who support same sex marriage said she had made a tactical mistake that raised questions about her political judgement.
Mr Feeney is a member of the Victorian Right as is Mr Shorten and the Opposition Leader, who is opposed to any change to the national platform, is to have hardened his opposition to a compromise resolution on the issue now, too.
Another Labor MP predicted the Victorian Right would seek athat would condemnunilateral
NSW Labor Right senator NSW Deb O'Neill came out in support of Mr Burke on Wednesday and backed the push for federal Labor to adopt a resolution to unilaterally recognise Palestine, in line with what was adopted at NSW conference.
"This change in wording doesn't preclude Australia working with Israel to work towards a two-state solution, it merely strengthens Labor's position as a proponent of peace in the region," she said.
