O’Brien leaves meeting unscathed, calls for pause on gay conversion laws – The Age

Mr O'Brien, speaking as he emerged unscathed from a much-anticipated meeting of his MPs, said "the idea you can change someone's sexuality by converting them is just nonsense".

"We had a very, very thorough discussion in the party room ... There is absolute support for the idea of banning these sorts of coercive conversion therapies. There is no place for that in Australia in 2020," he said.

"There have been concerns raised about aspects of the bill. The impact of the role of parents and their children. Impacts on the role of faith communities and their ability to teach their religions.

"We're going to call on the government to just pause on the bill and use this summer to consult with those communities ... There are legitimate questions raised by people who all agree conversion therapy should be outlawed."

Mr O'Brien declined to say whether the party would allow a conscience vote and said the party reserved its position on the bill in the upper house where the government will need opposition or crossbench support.

The Liberal leader fronted the first in-person meeting of Liberal MPs since the start of the pandemic on Tuesday morning. It was held in person rather than via Zoom after five right-wing backbenchers demanded Mr OBrien hold the meeting in person.

The meeting was mostly collegiate and Mr O'Brien's leadership was backed before the gathering by senior frontbench colleagues David Davis, an ally of the leader, and Tim Smith, who has a frosty relationship with the Opposition Leader.

From left, Tim Smith, Karina Okotel and Michael OBrien.Credit:

"It was great to be able to get everyone in the same room. We had a very positive, very constructive meeting. It was a great way to finish off the year," Mr O'Brien said.

The Liberal MPs have a strategy session on Friday to discuss the party's plans for 2021. Shadow cabinet MPs will meet for an end-of-year dinner and the whole party room will meet for another dinner during the last parliamentary sitting week of the year.

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Speaking before the meeting, Mr Smith, who has a frosty relationship with Mr O'Brien, gave one-word answers as reporters asked whether he had confidence in the party leader, whether he would face a spill motion on Tuesday and whether he would be toppled next year, answering them, respectively, yes, no, and no.

Ahead of Tuesday's meeting, former federal Liberal vice-president and influential party figure Karina Okotel a religious hardliner emailed all Victorian Liberal state MPs suggesting it should be legal for people to attend prayer groups to reverse their sexuality but illegal for extreme medical measures such as shock therapy to be used to achieve the same ends.

The Andrews government laws would ban both methods.

In his reply to the email, which he sent to all the recipients of Ms Okotel's original message, Mr Smith asked Mr OBrien why she had not been expelled from the party.

Ms Okotel is filing an official complaint to the Liberal Partys administration alleging Mr Smiths email amounted to bullying and harassment.

Party branch members also received text messages from Ms Okotel urging them to email Liberal MPs asking them to oppose the laws.

Mr Smith said that Ms Okotel was trying to browbeat MPs to oppose the laws and said Liberals should not allow a conscience vote on the matter.

I think this is pretty cut and dry. I think that you are what you are, he said.

I read reports about people praying or somesuch to stop people from being gay or some rubbish. I mean this is nonsense ... you are what you are.

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"I prayed 20 years ago that I'd be six foot four Im five foot 10.

This is actually quite insane. Its demented. You are what you are

"We are all made in the image of God. Can I make that point as a very very bad Anglican.

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Paul is a Victorian political reporter for The Age.

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O'Brien leaves meeting unscathed, calls for pause on gay conversion laws - The Age