Senator Matt Canavan says politicians who are opposed to marriage equality should stick to their convictions and oppose the laws being changed.

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“You’ve got to be genuine and hold to your convictions,” Senator Canavan told Sky News on Sunday. “I think this idea that you should somehow change your fundamental principles and views because the majority of people in your electorate may or may not agree with you, that diminishes the credibility of politicians.

“You’ve got to be authentic.” Senator Canavan said.

The Minister for Resources and Northern Australia’s comments come after the results of the government’s marriage postal survey showed Australians were largely supportive of changing the marriage laws.

Voters in Senator Canavan’s home state of Queensland overwhelmingly support marriage equality with 60.7 per cent ticking the ‘Yes’ box on their survey form.

Many conservative politicians have indicated they will represent the wishes of their electorates and vote yes. While others have indicated that a discussion on religious freedoms in a separate issue that can be tackled at a later date. Senator Canavan says it’s his view that marriage laws can’t be changed without a debate over religious freedoms.

“Now is the time to deal with these matters in one job lot,” he said.

Senator Canavan’s comments come after his appearance at the Australian Christian Lobby’s annual conference on the weekend.

The LNP member told conference attendees that he would be moving a series of unspecified amendments to the proposed marriage legislation.

“I’m trying to fight to ensure that we’re not a persecuted minority,” Senator Canavan told the group.

During the postal survey campaign the Australian Christian Lobby were a key partner in the Coalition for Marriage, the group behind the formal ‘No’ campaign. One of their campaign slogans was that they were “the voice of the silent majority.”

Senator Cananvan is not alone in his view Senator Eric Abetz and Australian Conservatives leader Cory Bernardi have also voiced similar sentiments.

Labor’s Andrew Leigh says he finds the statements coming from conservative MPs a double standard.

“I do find it odd that some of the same people who were saying that we need to weaken protections against racial hate speech are now saying we need to change laws in the opposite direction on religious discrimination,” Leigh told the ABC.

“No-one will be compelled to perform a same sex wedding, just as churches today are able to choose which marriages they perform, and other religious orders likewise.”

OIP Staff