This One Picture Shows Marriage Equality Would Pass The Parliament

The new Australian parliament shows a clear majority in support of same-sex marriage for the first time in the nation's history.

Anna Mendoza / BuzzFeed

Numbers in the last parliament were on a knife edge – but at the election, at least 16 seats held by opposed or undeclared MPs were replaced by MPs firmly in support.

BuzzFeed News has counted 84 MPs in favour of same-sex marriage and 49 opposed in the new parliament. Seventeen MPs are yet to declare their views.

The numbers add credence to prime minister Malcolm Turnbull's claim that if the government's national plebiscite is carried, marriage equality will sail through the parliament.

However, many unknowns remain in the marriage debate – including whether the plebiscite legislation will pass the senate, and which Coalition MPs will vote according to the result.