Christopher Pyne Calls Labor "The Villain" In The Marriage Equality Debate

Pyne's comments come after Bill Shorten hinted Labor might not support the marriage equality plebiscite in the parliament.

Senior government minister Christopher Pyne says Labor are "villains" for suggesting it would oppose the marriage equality plebiscite in the parliament.

David Mariuz / AAPIMAGE

Bill Shorten indicated again on Sunday, Labor would not support the legislation in the parliament which would potentially keep the plebiscite from passing the senate.

"He’s quite prepared to say to all those same sex couples who want to marry and bring about stability in their households and have what I have and you have… he’s quite prepared to say to them, ‘no we’re not going to allow that to happen’," said Christopher Pyne on Sky News AM Agenda.

"The only villain in the piece here is Bill Shorten.

"The reality is we have to do with the very poor form of the Labor party who profess to support marriage equality but that’s not how they act in their vote in the parliament."

Tim Watts MP @TimWattsMP

The only reason Pyne supports a plebiscite is internal Liberal politics. Using LGBTI couples a political pawns. https://t.co/qvTEEuq6NF

10:51 PM - 27 Aug 2016

Prime minister Malcolm Turnbull also criticised Bill Shorten's stance on the issue but said he thought Labor would eventually vote for the legislation.

"I think Labor will support it," said Turnbull on ABC's Insiders.

He also slammed Labor "briefing" Sunday newspapers about internal research that suggests Australia would vote 'no' if the plebiscite was held.

"The Labor Party must want to delay same-sex marriage for a very long time, if they are briefing that."

Despite railing against the idea, Bill Shorten left open a door for Labor to green light the national marriage equality vote.

Dan Peled / AAPIMAGE

"We want to have marriage equality and we want it as quickly as possible that’s why we think a vote in the parliament is the quickest, cheapest, least divisive mechanism," said Shorten.

"We haven’t seen Mr Turnbull’s plebiscite legislation, we’ll cross the bridge about what he intends to do when he presents that legislation."

The Greens said it would vote against the marriage equality national vote on Friday and key independent Nick Xenophon is unwilling to express support for it.

If the plebiscite legislation fails, Malcolm Turnbull has the option of giving the parliament a free vote on marriage equality. If parliamentarians had a free vote it would pass the government with the current numbers.

But Turnbull pushed back against suggestions he'd give government MPs a free vote on marriage equality if the plebiscite fails.

"There is no question that the fastest way, the way to guarantee that there is a vote in the Parliament on gay marriage in this Parliament, is to support the plebiscite."