Senator Eric Abetz and Bass MHR Andrew Nikolic have both played down the issue in recent days.

They are right to point out that when Tasmanians are asked what issues are most important to them, they answer health, the economy, national security, law and order and education in various combinations.

In the current global climate, our government is right to focus on national security and has the broad support of Australians on how it is tackling the rise of extremism.

That and the economy should continue to be the focus of the government, but it surely must be able to expend some energy examining marriage equality.

To say that it cannot possibly deal with a debate on gay marriage while there are more pressing issues does itself a disservice. It says they cannot give adequate focus to more than one thing at a time.

The Labor Party did not cover itself in glory with how it handled its promotion of marriage equality either, however.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten appeared more like someone appeasing the party's left faction and curtailing the leadership ambitions of his deputy Tanya Plibersek than someone who genuinely believed in reform.

Ms Plibersek and Senator Penny Wong then used the issue to attack Prime Minister Tony Abbott for not allowing a conscience vote and showing leadership on the matter.

The issue deserves bipartisan support, not 'gotcha' moments of political opportunism.

Senator Abetz has described the recent push for marriage law reform as a beat-up by the media, particularly the left-wing brigade.

He points out that Austria's decisive vote against same-sex marriage was not reported as widely as the US Supreme Court's narrow 5-4 vote in favour.

No one, he says, is raising the issue with him when he meets members of the public.

With all due respect to the Senator, who would meet people from all walks of life, perhaps he is not mixing with all demographics equally.

Because certainly in my generation and younger, it is something people are feeling increasingly strongly about.

And I'm not talking about the feel-good clicktivism of colouring your Facebook profile picture; it is a genuine groundswell for change among younger people.

Fundamentally, it appears to be a generational divide.

Yes, there are younger people who do not support same-sex marriage and older people who do, but typically it appears the Baby Boomers and beyond are against reform. They happen to represent the bulk of people making decisions, but that is changing and will continue to change until marriage equality becomes a done deal.

Put aside the attention-seeking Canberra couple who threatened to divorce if gay marriage was legalised and think about how it would truly impact anyone else's marriage.

It wouldn't change mine. I wouldn't feel my relationship was cheapened in any way. I would welcome people experiencing the same security and sense of solidarity that marriage provides. Same-sex marriage just does not really impact anyone else's lives except those involved.

People need to stop the straw man argument that children with a mother and father have better life outcomes.

That might well be the case in ideal situations, but there are plenty of kids getting hurt in those traditional families and plenty of kids being raised by single parents who are doing just fine.

It is the quality and focus of the parent or parents that surely must be the driving factor in how a child grows into a well-adjusted and productive citizen.

And that's why the Liberal Party will struggle to maintain its stance on the issue. The party has long been about small government that stays out of people's way and lets them live their lives. Their success and happiness is based on their free will and hard work.