The government is expected to name February 11 next year as the date for the plebiscite on same-sex marriage.
Australians will be asked: ”Do you support a change in the law to allow same-sex couples to marry?”, Fairfax Media reported on Tuesday.
The Turnbull government is also reportedly leaning towards public funding for the yes and no cases of the debate.
Cabinet considered the date, question and funding on Monday night and its decision is expected to go before the coalition joint party room on Tuesday.
The ABC has reported that cabinet has agreed to allocate $7.5 million in public funding each to the yes and no campaigns.
Labor opposes the plebiscite, which is expected to cost at least $160 million, and does not want taxpayers’ money spent on the yes and no cases.
The opposition and crossbenchers presented private bills to parliament on Monday to change marriage laws.
Labor MP Graham Perrett expects caucus to reject the plebiscite proposal and said he would personally vote against it.
He also predicts there won’t be enough support for the plebiscite bill to pass parliament.
“All this kowtowing to the extreme right of (Malcolm Turnbull’s coalition) will all come to nought and be a total waste,” he told ABC radio.
“It’s got a snowflake’s chance in hell of getting through the Senate.”
Mr Perrett said many gay and lesbian people he has spoken to fear the hate and bullying that will spill from a potential plebiscite, and would prefer to wait until the next parliament.
The Australian Christian Lobby welcomed the reports of public funding, but said $7.5 million would be on the low side.
“It’s been a very one-dimensional debate about the love of two people but there’s been very little discussion about the consequences,” managing director Lyle Shelton told ABC radio.
He said the money would help level the playing field, claiming the mainstream media is in favour of change.
His group would campaign on issues such as gender teaching in schools, including the Safe Schools program.
Deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek described the plebiscite as an expensive and harmful delaying tactic.
“It’s hard enough being a teenager, it’s particularly hard being a teenager who’s coming out,” she told ABC radio.
“Being a teenager who’s coming out during a national debate about whether there’s something wrong with you, something wrong with the fact that you love someone of the same gender, that’s a terrible thing.”
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