Newly elected Liberal MP Tim Wilson has called on MPs opposed to same-sex marriage to abstain from voting on the legislation, if a plebiscite finds that Australians support it.

Key points: Tim Wilson tells anti-gay marriage MPs to abstain from vote

Tim Wilson tells anti-gay marriage MPs to abstain from vote Mr Wilson says he will marry his partner if same-sex marriage legalised

Mr Wilson says he will marry his partner if same-sex marriage legalised Divisions emerge among activists on whether or not to support plebiscite

Mr Wilson, who is gay, said he did not think the plebiscite should be binding on MPs, but warned there would be a backlash if they did not follow the will of the Australian people.

"I can assure that anyone who chooses to vote against it in defiance of the Australian public, will come under a heavy degree of criticism," he told Lateline.

Mr Wilson said the plebiscite was unlikely to take place until next year, but said it could take longer if Opposition Leader Bill Shorten did not stop "playing funny buggers" on the issue.

His comments came amid signs of division within the gay and lesbian community over whether or not to support the Coalition's plan for the public vote.

Mr Wilson said the views of all politicians had to be respected when it came to voting on same-sex marriage legislation.

"In the end we have to respect the fact that some people have their own private conscientious views, based in their faith and their conscience, where they should be able to absent themselves if they do not want to vote for it," he said.

"The responsibility if the Australian people vote for it is to abstain, to make sure it can get through the Parliament and the will of the Australian people is respected."

Wilson to marry partner if marriage bill passes

The former human rights commissioner said he would marry his partner if the legislation passed.

"We have been engaged now for six years so I think you could take that as a pretty strong indication that I would," he said.

Mr Wilson said Mr Shorten should support the legislation for the plebiscite when it comes before Parliament.

"I just call on Bill Shorten to rise above it, to not put people's lives down as part of a political game, to recognise that this is a very serious issue that affects peoples' lives, support the legislation for the plebiscite and then support the campaign to get a yes vote," he said.

Labor had promised to introduce legislation to reform the Marriage Act if it won government and now Mr Shorten has not ruled out blocking the Coalition's legislation for a plebiscite.

Activists fear homophobic backlash in lead-up to plebiscite

Meanwhile, there are fears that unless LGBTI activists unite around the plebiscite, it could fail at the ballot box.

Tiernan Brady led Ireland's successful "yes" campaign and said he feared divisions within the LGBTI community could derail the ultimate goal of marriage equality.

"Sometimes opportunities come and we have to take them. And they may not come again for a long time," he said.

"We don't get to pick the cards we're dealt. What we do have to do is make sure we win them.

"We have a responsibility to prepare for a plebiscite because ultimately we may not get to decide whether we have one or not but we have to be ready for it."

Ireland legalised same-sex marriage after a referendum last year. ( AFP: Paul Faith )

Some LGBTI activists are concerned a plebiscite will stir negative or homophobic sentiment in the community that could have a devastating impact on vulnerable people.

Ivan Hinton-Teoh has started the advocacy group, Just Equal, in preparation for this.

"We're seeing young LGBTI people having to seek mental health services more frequently now because their place in society is being questioned on a daily basis and we still haven't had a plebiscite called," he said.

Shelley Argent said she feared for what was to come for her gay son and others like him.

"As somebody said to me it's better to wait than to be walking over bodies as you walk down the aisle and I think that's very true," she said.

A survey this week pointed to support for a national vote on same sex marriage at just 48 per cent.

When respondents were reminded it would cost $160 million and the fact MPs would not be bound by the result, just one in four backed a plebiscite.