Same-sex marriage postal survey ‘the worst economic decision by an Australian Prime Minister: Bob Hawke

Former prime minister Bob Hawke has savaged the same-sex marriage postal survey as the worst economic decision by any prime minister since federation.

Mr Hawke interrupted a Q&A session with former Labor foreign minister Gareth Evans at the National Press Club to lament the fact the survey could not produce a decision.

“It still requires a vote of the parliament, whatever the result of the vote is,” he said in Canberra today.

“It costs 122 million bloody dollars. Can you imagine a prime minister would make a decision in these stringent times, spending $122 million on a process that can’t produce the result?”

Mr Hawke said the money would be better spent bridging disadvantage among indigenous Australians or on education.

“Without any question the worst economic decision made by any Australian prime minister,” he said.

Mr Evans said while Malcolm Turnbull’s instincts were “decent and civilised” he had “sold himself completely to the trogs (troglodytes) in his party” on both marriage and energy policy.

He said it was “screamingly obvious” the Australian community wanted same-sex marriage legalised.

New polling figures paint a promising picture for supporters of same-sex marriage.

Essential polling released today showed 61 per cent of people believed same-sex couples should be able to marry, while 32 per cent thought they should not.

Almost half of those quizzed at the weekend had already voted in the postal survey, while 33 per cent said they would definitely vote.

Those who supported same-sex marriage were more likely to have already voted (52 per cent) than those opposed (44 per cent). In other results:

* 64 per cent of those who had already voted said they voted “yes” and 30 per cent voted “no”.

* Half of those yet to complete their ballots are voting “yes” and 36 per cent are voting “no”.

* 61 per cent of those who said they would definitely vote will vote “yes” and 37 per cent “no”.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics received roughly 9.2 million ballots, or 57.5 per cent of the forms it sent out, by Friday afternoon.

Mr Turnbull believes the estimate shows Australians wanted to have their say after Labor blocked a promised plebiscite.

“I think it is a ringing endorsement of the government’s decision to give every Australian their say on this issue,” he told ABC radio.

Mr Turnbull expects the very high participation rate to increase with more than four weeks to go before the ballot closes.

Labor leader Bill Shorten still insists the $122 million cost of the survey could have been better spent, but is pleased with the turnout.

Campaigners from both sides of the debate insist the fight is far from over with more than a month until polls close.

The ABS will provide an updated estimate every week until the postal survey closes on November 7, with the results to be published on November 15.