Calls for same-sex marriage legalisation

Advocacy groups have used Valentine's Day as an excuse to launch their marriage equality campaign in the heart of Sydney, Shalailah Medhora reports.

"It's a matter of equality, and it's a matter of rights. We don't have different drivers licences because we're gay; we shouldn't have different forms of marriage recognition because we are," Alex Greenwich from Australian Marriage Equality said.

In Victoria, Tasmania and the ACT gay couples can take part in civil unions but activist group GetUp says the ban on gay marriage should be removed.

GetUp Director Simon Sheik says "polls consistently show that the majority of Australians support marriage equality and that's why it's time for Canberra to catch-up".

While some Labor ministers say they support gay marriage, so far the government has refused to consider changes to the Marriage Act.

Gay rights advocates in Adelaide staged a kiss-in, hoping that the Valentine's Day message of love will apply to everyone in the community.