Independent Queensland MP Rob Messenger has vowed to introduce a private member’s bill to repeal civil unions in Queensland.

The Member for Burnett has released a draft version of the bill on his website and has promised to introduce it to Parliament should he be re-elected.

“If re-elected, I will present my Civil Union Repeal Bill to the new parliament and will ask that Mr. Newman put aside his personal support for gay marriage and allow a conscience vote for all LNP members,” Mr. Messenger said.

Unlike LNP Leader Campbell Newman who has previously said that he would not repeal the Civil Unions Act if one couple had registered and formalised their union, Messenger said that he would aim to repeal the Act regardless of how many couple may had already held a civil union ceremony.

National PFLAG Spokesperson Shelley Argent was one of the leading proponents that saw civil unions introduced in Queensland and believes that Messenger’s proposed bill is unnecessary and cruel.

“This attempt to repeal the legislation makes no sense,” Argent said. Everybody was given a conscience vote when the Civil Unions Bill was passed including Mr. Messenger, and the LNP chose to vote as a block against it. Nobody has been affected negatively as a result of this legislation going through so there is reason to change it.”

Argent’s views are shared by leading LGBT psychologist Paul Mar tin who hold concerns for the effect that such a move might play on the mental health of Queensland’s LGBT community

“When the Civil Union Act passed same-sex attracted Queenslanders finally had a sense that they are valued and their relationships validated,” Martin said. “If Mr. Messenger is successful, and the legislation is repealed, this will send a powerful message to many vulnerable people that their relationships are worthless.”

Ray Mackereth, Publisher of QNews, was also at the forefront of the push for civil unions and was keen to add his voice to the outcry against Messenger’s proposed move. “This is a heartless political stunt where a politician puts himself before his constituents,” Mackereth said. “There is an estimated 366,00 gay & lesbian community members living in this state and Messenger is showing a complete lack of respect to every one of them. To allow gay couples to be protected by civil unions like straight Queenslanders enjoy, is essential. Civil unions mean under circumstances of hospitalisation, life threatening decisions and death that partners can legally make those decisions the same as anyone else. To rip those protections away from couples is unconscionable and unnecessary”

The date that Queenslanders can commence civil unions remains unclear but it is expected to be sometime in the first quarter of 2012.