Turnbull defends year of achievement

Same-sex marriage will be on the agenda of a coalition joint party room meeting in Canberra.

Coalition MPs and senators are set to discuss the details of the same-sex marriage plebiscite.

Attorney-General George Brandis is expected to brief a meeting of the joint party room on Tuesday, ahead of parliament debating a bill to enable a national vote on the issue.

Labor and the Greens say the plebiscite - which could be run as early as February next year - is a waste of money and will unnecessarily subject the community to hate and bigotry.

But Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull insists a national vote will give all Australians a say in a historic law change and the parliament will honour the final result.

Senator Brandis has been consulting religious leaders and others on the plebiscite.

But there is debate within the coalition over whether public money should be used to fund the yes and no campaigns.

The government is hopeful another piece of legislation - an omnibus bill to deliver more than $6 billion in budget savings - will pass with Labor support, as talks continue on the details.

The Labor caucus will also meet on Tuesday to discuss a raft of government legislation.


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Source: AAP


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