Far more Australians now want the question of marriage equality to be decided by a vote in federal parliament than want a national plebiscite.
A Newspoll commissioned by the Australian has found 48% of Australians want parliament to vote, while just 39% still want a plebiscite, with 13% undecided.
It marks a significant decrease in support for a plebiscite. A poll taken earlier this year found 70% of voters backed the plebiscite option.
The survey of 1,662 people was taken from Thursday to Sunday.
It shows a marked splintering of support amongst Coalition voters, with 47% still keen for a plebiscite but 44% now preferring politicians to decide, with 9% uncommitted.
Amongst Labor voters, just 29% want a plebiscite to be held in February and 62% want parliament to vote on the matter (6% uncommitted). Amongst Greens voters, only 21% want a plebiscite, 71% want a vote in parliament (8% uncommitted).
The Newspoll also found if there was a plebiscite in February the vast majority of Australians would vote yes.
It found 62% would vote yes and just 32% would vote no, with 6% uncommitted.
A majority of Coalition supporters would vote yes (53%) compared to no (42%).
Labor supporters (72% yes, 23% no) and Greens supporters (89% yes, 8% no) would also vote yes overwhelmingly if the plebiscite goes ahead.
In response to the Newspoll results, the minister for environment and energy, Josh Frydenberg, said the government had taken the plebiscite to the election and it won, so it was pushing ahead with its plan.
“But you went to the election with a superannuation policy and you’ve changed that, you went to the election with a backpacker [tax] policy and you’ve changed that, why not this?” asked the ABC’s Fran Kelly.
Frydenberg replied: “Well if we want to get gay marriage approved in Australia, which I do, I strongly believe in that, then I think we need to have a plebiscite because that is our policy.
“The polls indicate that the majority of people would vote in favour of same sex marriage were it to go to a plebiscite.”
“[Bill Shorten] needs to respect the fact that the government is in place and is seeking to implement its policy. If he really believes in same sex marriage, the fastest way, the surest way for that to happen, is through a plebiscite,” he said.
