Federal Labor MP Tim Watts has given a powerful speech in favour of marriage equality following the coalition’s decision to deny a conscience vote on the issue. Watts was speaking this morning on another marriage equality bill, the one introduced by opposition leader Bill Shorten, when he addressed comments allegedly made by conservative senator Eric Abetz that gay men don’t really want to get married.

A clearly emotional Watts told the story of his uncle Derek, who was in a long term same-sex relationship when he died of AIDS when Watts was a child. Read more