Of the more than 12 million – or 79.9 per cent – eligible Australians who voted in the voluntary postal survey more than seven million or 61.6 per cent were in favour of changes, while more than four million or 38.4 per cent said no.

Liberal frontbencher Christopher Pyne has said the bill could be debated in parliament as early as this week, while Malcolm Turnbull has promised the Coalition will allow MPs a conscience vote on the legislation.

If the government succeeds in passing marriage equality legislation by December 3, same-sex couples will be able to legally marry before Christmas.

The Australian Government has honoured its election commitment to allow the Australian people to have a say on whether the Marriage Act should be changed to allow same-sex couples to marry.

Local member, David Gillespie said he was please to see 81.3 per cent of eligible Lyne voters respond to the survey – well above the national participation rate of 79.5 per cent.

“In the Lyne electorate, 92,955 people voted with 51,416 or 55.3 per cent voting yes and 41,539 or 44.7 per cent voting no,” Dr Gillespie said.

“This compares to the 61.6 per cent who voted yes and 38.4 per cent who voted no at the National level.

“I have always said that as a Federal Member of Parliament, I would always respect the majority view within my electorate in determining my position on this issue in the Parliament, regardless of my own personal views on the religious definition of marriage.

“I look forward to now dealing with the legislation that facilitates the will of our electorate and the Australian people with the religious protections that have been committed to throughout the debate leading up to the completion of this survey.”