Inner city MP Tanya Plibersek has decided to push for gay marriage in federal parliament and is backing Bill Shortens private members bill.
The ALP is suddenly all in favour of "equality" following the Irish referendum.
But it wasn't always this way.
A self proclaimed progressive, Plibersek has been in parliament since 1998, but it wasn't until two years ago that she finally supported gay marriage.
For well over a decade she refused to support the large gay population in her electorate who lobbied hard for an end to marriage discrimination.
She did push forward with laws to allow gay couples to get improved standing regarding financial matters, but steadfastly refused to back full equality.
But now, she wants to be the saviour for the gay community and says "equality" is a really important principle.
It wasn't an important principal for more than a decade in parliament, and it wasn't an important principle during her 6 years as a minister.
But now that it's 100% safe to back it she's all over the media.
Now that Ireland, New Zealand and many other countries have introduced same sex marriage and now that 72% of the Australian population supports it, it's an important principle.
Plibersek has such a positive public profile, but for what? Does she ever go out on a limb? And more importantly does she ever go out on a limb to stand up for her principles? Hello refugee policy?
When gay marriage is finally passed into law remember not Plibersek, remember the thousands of activists who have struggled for years to make this an issue that politicians can no longer ignore...even the gutless, fair weather politicians.