Australia votes YES on same-sex marriage

Australia has voted YES on changing the law to allow same-sex couples to get married.

Head of the Australian Bureau of Statistics, David Kalisch, announced that 61.6 per cent of those who participated in the postal vote wanted to see the law change.

The Senate will be asked later today to support a move to introduce draft laws allowing same-sex marriage on Thursday.

The proposed bill will be debated in both houses of parliament but Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull remains confident the law can be passed before Christmas.

"The Australian people have spoken in their millions," Mr Turnbull said after the ABS announced the Yes vote.

"They have voted overwhelmingly yes for marriage equality. They voted yes for fairness. They voted yes for commitment. They voted yes for the love."

Nearly 8 out of 10 eligible Australians (79.5%) expressed their view.

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"Now it is up to us, here in the parliament of Australia, to get on with it.

"To get on with the job the Australian people have asked us to do and get this done, this year, before Christmas."

A jubilant Bill Shorten, who had backed the Yes vote from the outset, assured celebrating LGBT supporters at a celebration in Melbourne that the legislation to pass the law would be fast-tracked.

"Today we celebrate, tomorrow we legislate," he exclaimed to an enthusiastic crowd.

"I want to say to all LGBT Australians are you are 100 per cent loved.

"100 per cent valued. And over the next two weeks of parliament, 100 per cent able to marry the person you love."