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A brief interlude ...

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So let's take the time to contemplate on a few basic facts:

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Same-sex marriages are not permitted under Australian federal law.

Prior to 1961, the states and territories administered marriage law.

In 2004 the Marriage Act 1961 was amended in federal parliament to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

Prior to 2004, marriage was not defined in the act.

In early 2012 the House of Representatives conducted an online survey to provide a simple means for the public to voice their views on same-sex marriage and two bills which sought to legalise it.

There were 276 437 responses, the largest number ever received by a Committee of the House of Representatives.

177 663 respondents (64%) were in favour of changing the law to recognise same-sex marriage, 98 164 (35%) were opposed to it and 610 (1%) were unsure.

However, the report acknowledged that "The online survey was not a statistically valid, random poll. Respondents were self-selected, in that they chose to participate if they wished."

There have been no public opinion polls published since that survey by the Committee of the House of Representatives in 2012.

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