Tasmania's lower house has passed a motion of support for same-sex marriage with senior Liberal government MPs among those voting in favour.
Premier Will Hodgman on Wednesday joined a majority to back the motion which was put by the Tasmanian Greens, calling for in-principle support for marriage equality.
While noting a High Court ruling that states can't individually legislate for same-sex marriage, Mr Hodgman said it had consistently been the case that Tasmanian Liberal members have a conscious vote on the matter.
Seven of the government's 15 House of Assembly MPs voted in support of the motion, along with five of the seven Labor MPs and all three Greens.
"This vote will reassure Tasmanian LGBTI couples that their parliament regards their love for each other as equal and supports their right to express their love through marriage if they choose," Greens leader Cassy O'Connor said.
Deputy Premier Jeremy Rockliff also voted "yes" in a move he said might surprise some people.
"I believe that those who are committed and in a loving relationship should have the ability, in the eyes of the law ... to get married," he said.
But Wednesday's three-hour debate included opposing views such as that put by government MP Rene Hidding, who quoted former Liberal prime minister John Howard: "Children are best served having both a mother and a father in their lives."
He said parliament was wasting time debating the matter with the outcome having no legal recognition.
"It's nothing to do with this house or this parliament."
The federal government has decided that a future plebiscite will allow the Australian people to choose whether the Marriage Act be changed to recognise same-sex unions.
NSW and West Australian parliaments have already shown similar support for marriage equality.
