PM pushes for public vote on gay marriage, page-67

Nanood, Tony Abbott promised to take a referendum to better recognise Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders in the Constitution within 12 months of becoming PM. He broke that promise.

Now he's talking about putting a still unspecified referendum in 2017 but has refused to allow Aborigines to even discuss it amongst themselves first.

Abbott knows that he'll be lucky to present at the next election as PM, let alone win it. According to media reports he even boasted privately about using tricks to out-manoeuvre those in his own party room who seek nothing more than the right to express their 'liberal' views.

But even if Abbott did put a plebiscite to the people, it's outcome is NOT binding on government! That must surely be the ultimate insult to his own MPs, to Liberal Party supporters and to Australians; filibuster in the hope it can be avoided and if not promise to listen but really with the intention of ignoring the message anyway.

Of course these days, Captain Tony Abbott even criticises the Pope!