The Plebiscite is Dead: Labor Has Blocked the Controversial Vote

Labor MPs have confirmed they'll oppose the Coalition's controversial plebiscite bill, following a caucus meeting in Canberra Tuesday morning. Without Labor's support in the Senate, the plebiscite is effectively dead.

There's no way the Liberals can make the numbers work to get a public vote on marriage equality across the line. Particularly given the Greens and Nick Xenophon Team's opposition to the plebiscite.

The plebiscite vote had been slated for February 11, 2017.

It emerged Monday that Attorney-General George Brandis had written up an exposure draft of the legislation to amend the Marriage Act. There were a number of wins in the draft for anti-marriage equality campaigners, including that ministers and celebrants could refuse to officiate unions between same-sex couples.

However, speaking with Radio National Tuesday morning, Liberal Senator Eric Abetz specifically objected to the change in the definition of marriage, which would sub out "a man and a woman" to "two people."

Senator Brandis told the program he believed this would open the door to "allow transgender and inter-sex marriage."

WATCH: VICE breaks down the cost of a plebiscite on marriage equality

Abetz also told the ABC's Fran Kelly that while he supported the plebiscite being held, he believed it would fail. "I have trust in the Australian people that once they are fully conversant with all the consequences of changing the definition of marriage that they would in fact vote 'no'," he said.

"When people get beyond the glib lines of 'love is love'… they'll see the consequences for the next generation and the socialisation of the next generation."

Abetz' interview came after a controversial start to the week, when the Liberal Senator spoke about how "media bias" means people who make the difficult switch from "homosexual to heterosexual" aren't celebrated. Effectively, he was calling for some kind of movement towards reverse coming out parties.

However, Abetz isn't the only Liberal powerbroker to oppose same-sex marriage being legalised in Australia. Senator Cory Bernardi and MP George Christensen are also strongly against it.

Labor is calling for a free vote on marriage equality in the Parliament, where representatives could vote with their conscience on the issue—and not be bound to hold the party line. The Opposition has strongly stated that, given there was never a public vote to amend the Marriage Actin the first place under Prime Minister John Howard, the issue could be settled in Parliament.

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