Bill Shorten remains coy about Labor's post-election position to a plebiscite on same-sex marriage.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull expects parliament to swiftly legislate for a national vote on the issue if the coalition wins the July 2 election.
"I would hope that the plebiscite could be held before the end of the year," he told reporters in western Sydney on Monday.
Asked if Labor would support the plebiscite legislation, Mr Shorten side-stepped the question.
"I intend to win the election," he told reporters in Perth, calling on Mr Turnbull to get on with the business of legalising gay marriage.
Mr Shorten has labelled a plebiscite as a taxpayer-funded platform for homophobia.
Opposition Senate leader Penny Wong lamented coalition MPs and senators, such as George Christensen and Cory Bernardi, had demonstrated an incapacity in the past to have a respectful debate on marriage equality.
But cabinet minister Mathias Cormann played down any potential community harm.
"The coalition does have confidence in the Australian people," he told reporters in Canberra.
