Australian parliament gets bill to set up gay marriage vote

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said Tuesday that legislation would be introduced to Parliament on Wednesday to hold a plebiscite in which voters would be asked whether Australia should allow marriage equality. "And that is why I support same-sex marriage", Turnbull said, adding that he and his wife Lucy favour same sex marriage and would love to vote yes in the 11 February poll.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said he would vote yes, as he tried to lobby the opposition Labor party to pass a parliamentary bill for the vote, which he said he will introduce this week.

Thus, Parliament will have to decide the issue on legalizing the-same-sex marriage without the divisive public debate.

The only plebiscites in Australian history rejected conscription twice during World War I and chose Australia's national anthem in 1977.

The citizens on the proposed panels would be appointed by Attorney-General George Brandis.

"They don't want to run the risk of the Australian people giving them the wrong answer", Mr Turnbull said.

The Labor opposition advocates that same sex marriage should be directly legalised without a plebiscite as it could encourage homophobia.

Mr Turnbull, accused of promising taxpayer money to church leaders earlier this year, on Monday hinted that public funds would be forthcoming, telling Parliament: "Any funding provided in respect of the arguments "yes" or "no" in the plebiscite will be provided equally in accordance with our past practice".

Unlike a referendum, a plebiscite vote does not affect Australia's constitution and is not defined in the Australian Constitution, the Electoral Act or the Referendum Act.

The federal government has estimated that a plebiscite campaign and vote would cost the Australian public around $160 million, but an independent assessment by PricewaterhouseCoopers puts the number somewhere closer to $525 million.

The deal also protects the child dental benefits scheme by removing it from the legislation and takes out the cuts that would have seen imprisoned people with severe psychiatric conditions lose support.

Mr Turnbull said Australian growth was higher than that of any of the G7 economies, and while a year ago the unemployment rate was 6.

"He said to me and I quote, 'Why should people who barely know us make an assumption on our families and vote on how we can live?'"

But, if that happens (and it definitely looks like the most likely outcome at the moment), what does that mean for marriage equality?

Changes to the energy supplement measure will ensure all existing categories of recipients including those on Newstart and pensioners will continue to receive the supplement, except for people receiving the Family Tax Benefit and commonwealth seniors health card holders.