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Tony Abbott's Daughter Has Made An Emotional Plea For Marriage Equality: It's "More Than Politics"

The daughter of the most prominent "no" campaigner has appeared in an advert for the "yes" side.

The 26-year-old daughter of former prime minister Tony Abbott, Frances Abbott, has made an emotional plea for people to vote "yes" in Australia's same-sex marriage postal survey.

Frances, a fitness instructor, appeared in a video for Australian Marriage Equality posted on Tuesday.

Frances Abbott talks about why she's voting YES: for fairness, for love, for family. Why are you voting YES?… https://t.co/oYa0L1Vgdp

In the video, Frances talks about wanting to see her aunt — Sydney Liberal councillor Christine Forster — and Forster's partner Virginia Edwards get married in Australia.

"I look at my Aunty Chris and I don't think she planned to fall in love with Virginia," Abbott said. "It just happened. This is why it really doesn't make sense to me that it's still not allowed.

"To see Aunty Chris marry Virginia, to do it here in front of friends and family, it would be so special, and I'm so, so hoping that is something I get to be a part of."

When the postal survey was announced, Frances' father Tony immediately began calling for a "no" vote, suggesting that voting "no" would help "stop [political correctness] in its tracks".

View this video on YouTube

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For the record, Tony Abbott has told Forster and Edwards that even though he doesn't want same-sex marriage legalised, he would still attend their wedding if it came to pass.

In today's video, Frances acknowledges the differences of opinion within the Abbott household.

"I think it is well-known that within my family we have people that sit on the other side of the fence," she said.

She said voting "yes" for marriage equality was "more than politics" and was about "love". Contrary to her father's claims that it would hurt religious freedom or freedom of speech, Frances said it would lead to "less fear of discrimination or fear of isolation or loneliness".

"It has to change. And it will change."

Forster, who has been in a back-and-forth battle in the media against her brother on this issue over the past month, said her niece was gorgeous.

My gorgeous niece Frances, speaking about what marriage means to her #PostYourYes #ssm #auspol https://t.co/BBWilgN7cL

On Friday, 38-year-old DJ Astro "Funknukl" Labe was charged with headbutting Tony Abbott in Hobart, leaving the former prime minister with a "very, very slightly swollen lip".

Abbott claimed that because the man was wearing a "vote yes" sticker, what happened to him could happen again if the "yes" side wins the survey.

"My thought is that if the actual debate about same-sex marriage is producing this sort of intolerance and bullying, how much worse would it get if same-sex marriage — the brave new world of same-sex marriage — actually came to be?" he asked on 2GB radio, ahead of informing Tasmania Police about the incident.

Labe, who admitted to headbutting Tony Abbott, later said that his action had nothing to do with marriage equality.