Senior Australian MP calls for gay marriage referendum

Mr Morrison says the people should vote in a referendum

The Australian government is now considering a gay marriage referendum that critics said could scuttle a law change.

Senior minister Scott Morrison said legalising same-sex marriage should be put to the people in a referendum.

That would enable the government to change the constitution, rather than changing legislation.

His comments follow the government's decision on Tuesday to ban a free vote for its MPs on any gay marriage bill.

Mr Morrison, who is close to Prime Minister Tony Abbott, told local media on Wednesday he was proposing a referendum because "I believe that is the best way to get to a conclusion on this issue which all Australians can accept".

Local media reported Mr Abbott was now also mulling a referendum, after saying on Tuesday it should be put to the people in a plebiscite.

Public opinion polls taken on same sex marriage found a majority of poll respondents approved of same sex marriage, with results ranging from just under 60% for Newspoll and Essential polls held in June, to as high as 72% for a Crosby Textor poll held a year earlier.

Australian law specifies marriage is between a man and a woman

In Australia, a referendum is a binding vote used to approve a change to the Australian constitution, and requires a majority of states and a national majority.

A plebiscite is non-binding, is used to decide a national question that does not affect the constitution, and requires only a national majority.

Australians rarely vote in favour of changes to referendum proposals.

The Labor Opposition said holding a referendum was nothing but an expensive delaying tactic.

"We know that if both parties don't support a referendum, they never succeed," Labor Leader Bill Shorten said on Thursday.

Huge cost

The 1999 referendum on Australia becoming a republic cost A$67m ($50m, £32m), according to the Australian Electoral Commission.

The Opposition has also pointed out that Australia's High Court has said marriage laws are a matter for the parliament, not the constitution.

Mr Shorten has pledged to introduce same-sex marriage legislation within the first 100 days if Labor wins the next election, due in 2016.

Mr Abbott, who personally opposes same-sex marriage, on Wednesday said under Liberal Party policy, any government frontbenchers who defied the agreed position to oppose gay marriage would be sacked.

Backbench Coalition MP Warren Entsch plans to introduce a cross-party bill next week to legalise same-sex marriage.