Rainbow of views on marriage postal vote

VIEWS ON SAME-SEX MARRIAGE POSTAL VOTE:

"With a postal plebiscite there's no legislation required and people would still have their say so we'd keep the spirit of the commitment that we made at the last election." - Cabinet minister Peter Dutton, August 3, 2GB radio

"It is certainly better than ramming the thing through the parliament without any vote, but there could be some questions about how authoritative it would be." - Former prime minister Tony Abbott, August 7, 2GB

"Our policy is very well-known - to give all Australians a say." - Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, August 2, media conference

"This is a very expensive way to do nothing." - Labor leader Bill Shorten, August 3, media conference

"It's a D-grade response to what is a defining A-grade social issue." - WA Liberal senator Dean Smith, August 7, doorstop.

"If we want to repair this trust deficit that people talk about in Australian politics, one of the first steps must be to allow the government of the day to keep its promises." - Cabinet minister Arthur Sinodinos, August 7, ABC radio.

"The government spending money for a postal plebiscite without passing legislation would be unconstitutional." - Human Rights Law Centre, August 7, media release.