Same-sex marriage is a hot topic that everyone has an opinion on. While some people wanting to legalize same-sex marriage in Australia, others don't even want to hear from it. With a gay union bill in the works of being introduced, what does it actually take to have it passed?

Though gay union advocates are in full support of having a same-sex marriage introduced to the Parliament, they are urging the Australian Labor Party to consider the right time to introduce it, with the Australian Marriage Equality saying that MP Stephen Jones - the one who is leaning towards introducing the bill - should "wait it out."

Amidst floating repercussions that some might resign with the possibility of the same-sex bill getting a vote, could the bill really be passed? Rodney Croome, AME Campaign Director discusses the possibilities in an interview with Australian Business Times.

What are the odds of the bill getting passed now as opposed to waiting the right time?

A marriage equality bill will not pass while Labor has a conscience vote but the Coalition doesn't. The major parties are evenly poised in the House of Representatives and a number of Labor MPs have said they will vote against reform. To compensate, we need some Coalition MPs to vote for reform.

Is there an estimation as to how long MP Jones should "wait out" before introducing the bill?

A period of time that will allow the Coalition to properly debate a conscience vote. The Coalition only began to seriously consider this issue after the ALP National Conference opted for a conscience vote. We allowed the Labor Party time to work through its internal processes. We should the Coalition time too.

Who among the Coalition is expected to oppose the bill?

Quite a few Coalition MPs and Senators have said they oppose the bill, but there are still many who are undecided or who have not stated their position.

Among the opposition members, who are expected to defect and vote for the same-sex bill?

Coalition members like Simon Birmingham have stated their support for reform publicly. More have stated it privately but are not willing to be public until a conscience vote is allowed.

Among the shadow ministers, who is expected to resign from their post because of the bill?

If there is a conscience vote they will not have to. No shadow ministers have said they will resign. It makes little sense for them to say this publicly before the matter of a conscience vote has been resolved.

Ideally, what are the perfect conditions to introduce the bill and why?

As above, it is when both major parties allow conscience votes and all members have had an opportunity to seriously consider the case for reform.

If the bill does get shot down, what move is expected among those supporting the same-sex bill?

In many other places the first attempt at marriage equality has been defeated. Subsequent attempts have succeeded because the issue has been "lost forward", that is, the public debate has increased awareness of the need for reform and expectations of it occurring. For this reason we would not be daunted by a defeat but attempt to use it as the foundation for subsequently achieving reform.

Rodney Croome, known as a spokesperson for the Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group, is a gay advocate and the campaign director of Australian Marriage Equality. Croome is also the founding president and long-term board member of the Tasmanian LGBT support organization, Working It Out, project officer of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission's rural LGBT youth network, Outlink, and co-convenor of the Australian Council for Lesbian and Gay Rights.