Roundup: Aust'n gov't stands by same-sex marriage plebiscite despite waning public support

More Australians are turning their back on the coalition government's plan to hold a public vote, or plebiscite, on whether or not same-sex couples can legally marry, the results of a new poll have shown.

The results of the Newspoll, taken for News Corp publications, were released on Wednesday and showed that just 39 percent of Australians support a public vote compared with 70 percent earlier this year.

Surprisingly, almost half of all Australians would prefer a 'free vote' in Parliament, in which MPs vote on whether or not same-sex marriage is to be legalized. Thirteen percent of Australians are undecided.

The government has recently announced the cost of holding a plebiscite could blow out to as much as 160 million U.S. dollars, something which the opposition has labeled a "sick joke".

Opposition Leader and Labor leader Bill Shorten has previously proclaimed that Australians do not want millions of taxpayer dollars spent on a public vote when it can be settled in Parliament for free.

More than 60 percent of Labor voters and 71 percent of Greens voters want the issue settled in Parliament, while 44 percent of coalition voters would prefer a free vote to 47 percent still in favor of the plebiscite.

Government spokesperson and federal Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that the government would stand by its election promise to hold a plebiscite, despite waning popularity for the costly public vote.

"We had a policy which was to introduce legislation for a plebiscite. That came after a very difficult and long and passionate party room discussion. Now, that policy is still in place," Frydenberg said on Wednesday.

"It's up to the Labor Party to put aside politics and to recognize that they lost the last election, they didn't win it, and if they are serious about allowing gay people to get married, which I do support strongly, then they should support the plebiscite because polls show that it will be successful."

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said if the plebiscite passes, same-sex marriage would be legislated "within weeks."

"Everyone wants to see same-sex couples being able to marry," he said.

"If Labor supports the plebiscite it will be held on the 11th of February. I believe it will be carried. I certainly will be voting yes."

But on Tuesday, Shorten renewed calls for the government to abandon the plebiscite and support a free vote in Parliament, as the results of the plebiscite were not binding for coalition MPs.

"It will be compulsory for 15 million people to vote on same-sex marriage, to vote on marriage equality. It will be compulsory for them to vote. If they don't vote, they will be fined. But it's not compulsory upon Liberal Party MPs to accept the result. That is a sick joke," Shorten said on Tuesday.

"I can think of 100 better ways to spend 160 million U.S. dollars."

Labor has vowed to block the legislation which would result in the plebiscite, and as minor parties and independents are also against the costly vote, it would not get through the lower house.

Frydenberg reiterated his party's warning to Labor that they were playing politics with people's lives, and said if they choose to block the plebiscite bill, same-sex marriage would be sidelined until "at least 2020."

"The fastest way, the surest way for (same-sex marriage) to happen, is through a plebiscite," Frydenberg reiterated on Wednesday. Endit