THE Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Glenn Davies, has praised the Australian Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, for proposing that the question of same-sex marriage be put to the people.

Last week, the ruling Liberal-National Coalition refused to allow a conscience vote for its members of Parliament on same-sex marriage if a Private Member’s Bill before the Parliament is debated, proposing a people’s vote instead. It is yet to decide whether it would hold a referendum or a plebiscite on the issue, or when it would be held.

“Mr Abbott has been consistent and forthright on this issue, and it is clear he recognises the national importance of a debate about the definition of marriage, as well as the strength of feeling on both sides,” Dr Davies said. The debate had been “unhelpfully politicised, which is why it should be decided by the people directly”, he continued.

“If the majority of Australians desire a change to the time-honoured understanding of marriage, then so be it.”

Marriage was a foundational concept of society “in accordance with God’s own plan for all people”, and was “intrinsic to the continuation of the human race as the bedrock of the family from which succeeding generations are born”, he said.