Howard, Abbott, And Turnbull Have All Opposed The Marriage Plebiscite

“It’s up to members of parliament."

Marriage equality supporters have ramped up their efforts to stop a plebiscite as the national vote looks increasingly likely to be held early next year.

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In 2004, as his government passed legislation that banned same-sex marriage, John Howard said the definition of marriage was a matter for the parliament.

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"We've decided to insert this into the Marriage Act to make it very plain that that is our view of a marriage and to also make it very plain that the definition of a marriage, that should rest in the hands ultimately of the parliament of the nation," he said.

"[It] should not over time potentially be subject to redefinition or change by courts. It is something that ought to be expressed through the elected representatives of the country and that is what we have decided to do."

Howard continues to oppose a plebiscite, telling 2GB radio in March the matter ought to be resolved in parliament.

In the wake of Ireland's successful marriage equality referendum in May 2015, Tony Abbott ruled out a public vote on marriage.

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At the time, politicians including then-backbench Liberal senator Zed Seselja and independent senator Jacqui Lambie had called for a public vote on same-sex marriage in Australia.

“Referendums are held in this country when there is a proposal to change our constitution and I don’t think anyone is suggesting the constitution needs to be changed in this respect,” Abbott said in May.

“It’s up to members of parliament who are eager for change to decide whether they want to bring it forward."

A few months later, in mid-August, Abbott announced the Coalition's new policy of a public vote on same-sex marriage after the next election.

Current PM Malcolm Turnbull made his preference for a free vote in parliament very clear after the Coalition announced its new policy in August 2015.

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“One of the attractions of a free vote is it would have meant the matter would be resolved in this parliament, one way or another, in a couple of weeks,” he said.

Turnbull (correctly) predicted that the plebiscite policy would put marriage equality front and centre until the vote itself was held, and described the public vote policy as "unformed".

Since becoming prime minister, Turnbull has held on to the policy, saying it is "thoroughly democratic" and what the government decided on.