Labor candidate for Brisbane Pat O'Neill. "If standing up and talking about this issue defines my campaign, then so be it, but I wish someone had stood up for me when I was growing up." Mr O'Neill said the public campaigns that would accompany the plebiscite had the potential to be devastating to some LGBTI people. "The concern I have isn't a concern for me, but it's a concern for those teenagers who will be watching the TV, who might already feel marginalised and then they see their own Parliament, their own Prime Minister, citizens of their own country, debating whether they should be treated equally," he said. "For those young people who already feel marginalised, to have to be subjected to a debate about whether or not they're equal citizens, 1) I find it offensive, but 2) I think it can be dangerous and damaging.

"There are already statistics about the rates of mental illness and the rates of suicide among LGBTI people, particularly young people, and we're just going to give a voice to the worst elements of our society, the bigots and bullies, putting them on our TVs, putting them on our radio and subjecting some of the most vulnerable people in our society to those hateful opinions." Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull sought to allay fears of an unsavoury debate in Federal Parliament in Canberra on Thursday. "Let me tell you, I have great faith in the decency, in the common sense, in the humanity and in the wisdom of the Australian people, and, if there are unruly voices heard, they will be drowned out by the common sense, the respect and the general humanity of our people," Mr Turnbull told Parliament on Thursday. "We are capable of great things… and one of the greatest things we do is we practise democracy. "Every day, we should be able to conduct public discourse in a civil manner, in a respectful manner."

Mr Turnbull, a vocal supporter of marriage equality, has maintained his party room's position that the issue be resolved through a plebiscite. Former prime minister Tony Abbott announced the joint Coalition party room's decision after a marathon six-hour meeting in August. One month and two days, Mr Turnbull successfully challenged Mr Abbott for the prime ministership. While Mr Turnbull was bound by his party room, Mr O'Neill said he needed to show leadership. "Now that he is the Prime Minister, he needs to represent Australians, not represent the people who gave him the job or represent his mates in Parliament," he said.

"There's no more important position than Prime Minister. He's got the job, he's got the ability to make a difference and selling himself out to the right-wing bigots and bullies who gave him the job is selling out Australians." Pro-marriage equality Queensland LNP MP Warren Entsch revealed this week he had discussed a legislative framework with Mr Turnbull that would see the current Parliament pass legislation legalising same-sex marriage that would only be triggered in the event on a 'yes' vote. Conservative Liberal Party Senator Eric Abetz – a staunch defender of the marriage status quo – blasted that plan as a "thought bubble and an ambush to boot". Mr O'Neill will contest the seat of Brisbane against incumbent LNP MP Teresa Gambaro, herself a strong advocate for marriage equality.