This dismal sight greeted the Opposition Leader as he urged MPs (many of them absent) to “step up”.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten today introduced a marriage equality bill to near-empty benches in Federal Parliament.

Despite a strong Labor presence – and despite Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s insistence that the whole government ‘own’ this issue –  only a few government MPs sat on the Coalition side of the House of Representatives.

Coalition do not support the bill – the third same-sex bill before the Parliament – and the House of Representatives voted to adjourn the debate, which will likely return at Parliament’s spring sitting.

Bill Shorten delivered a rousing speech to most empty benches. Image via Twitter.

Shorten’s private members bill, endorsed by deputy leader Tanya Plibersek, proposes to replace the words “man and woman” in the definition of who can legally marry with the words “two people”.

Let’s hope more than that number of people turn up for the (eventual) vote.