Liberal MP Warren Entsch has introduced to federal parliament his cross-party bill to legalise same-sex marriage.
Mr Entsch told the lower house on Monday his bill would not create different classes of marriage or a ranking system pitting a marriage between a same-sex couple above that of a heterosexual couple.
The bill is doomed to fail and will likely languish without being taken to a vote.
Besides the bill's numerous co-sponsors, Mr Entsch was supported by several MPs across the political spectrum.
Cabinet ministers Christopher Pyne and Malcolm Turnbull were in the chamber as was Opposition Leader Bill Shorten.
Prominent Labor MP Wayne Swan and government backbenchers Natasha Griggs and Wyatt Roy sat close to Mr Entsch as he presented the legislation.
Mr Entsch said his bill was designed to promote an inclusive society, not a divided one.
"A divided nation is what we will be if we continue to allow discrimination in relation to marriage on the basis of a person's sexuality," he said.
He acknowledged there were strong and conflicting views on gay marriage.
"We believe that when it comes to marriage equality, that time is now," he said.
Liberal co-sponsor Teresa Gambaro, whose office helped draft the bill, hugged Mr Entsch after his speech.
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