Results of marriage survey can't be ignored: OPINION

HAVING asked the people their opinion, there can be no greater mandate for our politicians to do what the majority instructs them to do.

IF, as expected, a majority of people vote 'yes' in the same sex marriage survey, keep a close eye on how your local politician votes on the floor of parliament.

Having forced this divisive survey on the population in the first place, I don't want any politician to be able to shirk their responsibility when voting it into law.

After all, having denied parliamentarians a conscience vote on this for years, it's too late to hide behind that fig leaf now.

Having asked the people their opinion, there can be no greater mandate for our politicians to do what the majority instructs them to do.

In figures just released, there have been 9.2 million replies to the question: Should the law be changed to allow same-sex couples to marry?

As of September 29, the Australian Bureau of Statistics had received 57.5% of the same sex marriage survey forms.

That's a pretty encouraging number and either way shows that many people have made up their mind fairly quickly.

But there are still many hearts and minds to be won between now and when the survey closes on November 7.

What I don't want to see is any politician squib it when it comes time to a vote on the issue.

And if your elected member goes against the majority will of the people, you'd have to question whether they will truly represent you on any issue at all.

Perhaps remember that when you go to cast your vote at the next election.