Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has raised the spectre of young people suiciding as a result of the Turnbull government's same-sex marriage plebiscite, in his strongest sign to date that Labor will block the bill.
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Introducing a private member's bill for marriage equality to the lower house, Mr Shorten noted the higher suicide rate among sexually diverse Australians and said one suicide would be "one too many".
"Every piece of expert advice tells us young Australians who are gay are more likely to contemplate suicide and more likely to take their own lives," he said.
"The idea of young people, perhaps yet to come out, seeing the legitimacy of their identity debated on the national stage. That is not an ideal inflicted on any citizen when we have a better path.
"Let me be as blunt as possible: a 'no' campaign would be an emotional torment for gay teenagers, and if one child commits suicide over the plebiscite, then that is one too many."
Many gay and lesbian advocates have opposed a plebiscite on the basis that it would unleash a campaign of hatred and homophobia that will be damaging to LGBTI people, especially minors.
Greens leader Richard Di Natale previously said it was "likely" people would take their own lives if the plebiscite proceeded, and Labor has also been critical of the mental ill health that could be wrought by the campaign.
The opposition has so far avoided committing to blocking the plebiscite in the Senate. But Monday's speech marks an escalation in Mr Shorten's rhetoric, and makes a backdown in coming weeks less likely.
A draft plebiscite bill is expected to be debated in cabinet later on Monday and in the Coalition party room on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Turnbull government is divided over whether to provide public funding for the "yes" and "no" sides.
While it is understood Attorney-General George Brandis is inclined to recommend against public funding, conservatives including Kevin Andrews and Eric Abetz have demanded it – with Mr Andrews claiming Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull promised taxpayer money to church groups.
Mr Shorten's speech was followed by the introduction of a separate marriage equality bill by Greens MP Adam Bandt, co-spondored by crossbenchers Cathy McGowan and Andrew Wilkie.
Both men insisted they did not want to claim credit for marriage equality, and called for multi-partisan backing for their own bills. But neither bill is likely to be debated in the lower house, where the government maintains control of the legislative agenda.
Mr Bandt later denied the bill was an act of grandstanding, saying the numbers were there in the Parliament for same-sex marriage to be legalised without the need for an expensive and damaging public poll.
Veteran gay rights campaigner Rodney Croome, who was in Canberra to lobby parliamentarians to vote against the plebiscite, cautiously endorsed Mr Shorten's concerns.
"There is a sound empirical basis to the claim that some vulnerable young and isolated LGBTI people will be at increased risk of suicide," he said. "It's an issue we need to discuss carefully but it is an issue that should be on the table."
