Liberal MP Teresa Gambaro says she'll vote for gay marriage if allowed a conscience vote. Source: AAP
THE Liberal MP representing Queensland's most marginal federal seat has declared she would vote for gay marriage if the coalition allowed a conscience vote.
Teresa Gambaro has previously stated she would push Opposition Leader Tony Abbott to allow a conscience vote on the matter after the election.
The shadow parliamentary secretary has, however, previously declined to say whether or not she personally supported gay marriage.
But on Thursday night, the MP who holds Brisbane by a narrow 1.1 per cent margin, told a candidates' forum in her electorate she would vote in favour of marriage equality if given the choice.
"Should I be privileged to represent the people of Brisbane and be re-elected to the seat, my conscience vote would be in favour of same-sex marriage," she said to loud applause.
Ms Gambaro said people should be free to love who they want, regardless of their gender.
"I've made this decision because of my personal journey speaking to people, touched by the issue, as I've been door knocking right around the electorate," she said.
"Who people choose to love is not a decision for government.
"People should be free to love who they want, free of discrimination, bias and prejudice."
Ms Gambaro told the forum that marriage equality had been used as a political wedge, and said her vote against a gay marriage motion last year fulfilled a 2010 election promise.
"I believe it accurately reflected the majority view of the electorate of Brisbane at the time," she said.
"I'm on the record as saying that I'm not going to be bullied into taking one position or another and believe in representing people properly and not using this for political purposes."
Her position in favour of marriage equality comes as Australian Marriage Equality distributes leaflets in her inner-city seat pointing out how she hadn't declared a position.
Ms Gambaro has joined fellow federal Liberal MPs Malcolm Turnbull, Wyatt Roy and Kelly O'Dwyer in backing same sex marriage.
She said she had previously supported conscience votes for euthanasia and the abortion drug RU486.
Labor's candidate for Brisbane, Fiona McNamara, who supports gay marriage, questioned whether Ms Gambaro would cross the floor if the coalition didn't change its position to allow a conscience vote.
"I welcome Ms Gambaro's statement that she would vote for a conscience vote," she told AAP after the forum.
"Will she cross the floor if the LNP doesn't allow a conscience vote?"
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