The push to force a vote in federal parliament to legalise gay marriage is gathering momentum.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says the time has come to put the issue to the vote, and he'll introduce a private member's bill to that effect next week.
With recent polls putting support for gay marriage as high as 72 per cent, senior Labor and Liberal MPs say the bill is likely to succeed.
But some MPs say Mr Shorten's move is an attempt to politically capitalise on the issue and at the same time block a bid within his party to force Labor MPs to support gay marriage rather than giving them a conscience vote.
Amanda Cavill has the story.
Already there are two private members' bills before the parliament to legalise same sex marriage.
Liberal Democrat Senator David Leyonhelm'sbill is one and Labor Deputy leader Tanya Plibersek's is another.
The Greens have already flagged they'll be introducing their own bill to legalise same sex marriage early in June.
And now Bill Shorten has moved to head off the Greens bill by announcing he would bring his own legislation to parliament on June the 1st, and Ms Plibersek says she'll co-sponsor his bill.
Senator Leyonhelm says Labor's move does appear to be opportunistic, but that's not a bad thing.
"Most political things are stunts. I'm not sure that this is any different from most of politics. There is a bit of a feeling, I suspect, that there's a bit of credit to be gained here, that its time has arrived and therefore some people are thinking we better claim some of that credit. I'm not critical of it. I mean whoever gets a bill up in parliament with a vote on it, I'll vote for it. So one way or another I think same sex marriage will be approved within the next 12 months, maximum. "
Mr Shorten has denied playing politics, saying the time is right for marriage equality in Australia.
He says it's time Australia caught up with the rest of the world on the issue.
"What I'm interested in is that because of the Irish referendum, because of my views which I've held over a number of years, because of the strong support within the Labor Party for marriage equality, that we now need to move forward. For me the issue isn't just about political tactics and, you know, the day-to-day. What is the argument against marriage equality? If we genuinely believe that for people in this country, being gay is not wrong, and it is not wrong, then what is the argument for excluding people from the ability to marry someone they love?"
Some within the government are cynical about Mr Shorten's bill.
They question the timing of his move suggesting it has been brought on to preclude a showdown between Mr Shorten and his deputy, Tanya Plibersek - something Mr Shorten denies.
Ms Plibersek won't say if she will continue her campaign to force her colleagues to support same sex marriage legislation in parliament rather than just allowing a conscience vote on the issue.
"I understand that for people for whom marriage is a religious sacrament this is a very difficult ask for them. But marriage is more than that. Marriage is also a legal arrangement between two people that gives responsibilities as well as rights. It's also an acknowledgement by our community of the status of a relationship."
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has so far declined to allow his frontbenchers a conscience vote.
He says it's an issue where decent people can differ and at some point, nearer to a vote, Liberal MPs will debate the issue fully and frankly in their party room.
"There are different views in the Parliament, there are different views within parties, there are different views within families. I dare say that this debate will go on in the community for quite some time. It may well come before the Parliament again at some time and when it is starting to come close to a vote in the Parliament, that's the time when our party room should discuss it."
There are many in the Liberal Party who want to have a conscience vote, just as the ALP is getting.
One of those is prominent backbencher Senator Arthur Sinodinos who's told the ABC a free vote is wanted by many.
"I know some of my colleagues like Warren Entsch and others want to raise the issue and have talked about having game plans on this so we'll wait until next week but certainly, I would support a conscience vote on this."
If Labor's bill is introduced next week, it is unlikely to come to a vote until November.
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