Gay marriage likely divisive issue in upcoming Australian parliament

Gay marriage is already a key wedge issue in the new Australian parliament despite it not yet being formed after the incumbent Liberal/National coalition regained power after a long, drawn-out counting process.

The incumbent coalition government led by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has promised a non-binding national vote - plebiscite - on same-sex marriage by the year-end, but is already taking flak from the opposition Labor party who labels it unnecessary and expensive.

During the election Labor pledged to legalise same-sex marriage within the first 100 days of gaining power through a parliamentary vote.

Incoming parliamentarian Trevor Evans told Australia's national broadcaster on Monday that the 160-million-Australian dollar (120.69-million-U.S. dollar) plebiscite would be "totally worth it" if it finally put the issue to bed.

"My take on it obviously is I'm an openly gay (new) member of the parliament, in fact possibly the first one ever elected in Queensland, and so this is a deeply personal and very important issue for me," Evans said.

"I think a plebiscite offers us a great future, like it did in Ireland, of comprehensively putting this issue to bed in a way where the community completely owns the result and politicians just have to toe the line."

However some politicians have said they will vote against any same-sex marriage bill even if the majority of Australian's support the concept.

The new Australian parliamentarians and a slighlty re-shuffled frontbench after the loss of two junior ministers be sworn in next week once Governor General Sir Peter Cosgrove returns from Europe. Endit