Greens MP Cate Faehrmann introduced a private members' motion last week for the Commonwealth Marriage Act to be amended, with MPs from both major parties split on the issue.
The Legislative Council voted 22 to 16 in favour of the motion.
Coalition MPs, including National Trevor Kahn, previously expressed support for move that calls on the Federal Government to allow gay marriage.
But Liberal Matthew Mason-Cox today said same-sex marriage could lead to polygamy.
"Indeed, if one was to take the notion of equality of marriage to its logical conclusion, then there would be no reason to stand in the way of polygamist marriages, or other variants," he told the chamber today.
During the debate, Labor MP Helen Westwood described being in a lesbian relationship and having eight grandchildren.
''There's just no evidence that my children or my grandchildren have been disadvantaged by being raised in a same-sex relationship,'' she told the chamber.
But Labor's leader in the upper house, Luke Foley, who hails from the party's left faction, said that as a practising Catholic he believed civil unions were more appropriate for gay couples than marriage.
''I do believe that homosexual relationships are different to a married relationship,'' he said, adding a ''procreative relationship open to the possibility of children'' was an ''essential feature of marriage''.
Liberal member Matthew Mason-Cox argued same-sex marriage could lead to polygamy.
''Indeed, if one was to take the notion of equality of marriage to its logical conclusion, then there would be no reason to stand in the way of polygamist marriages, or other variants,'' he said.
''This is the so-called slippery slope in this debate which has manifested itself overseas in some jurisdictions where same-sex marriage has been allowed.''
Fellow Liberal Catherine Cusack, however, said denying gay people the right to marriage caused ''enormous harm and hurt'' and was a 19th century approach to relationships.
''The rights that we have all been able to take for granted - myself, my husband, my parents - ought to be extended to all couples,'' she said.
Premier Barry O'Farrell declined to confirm whether he backed the motion.
''It's an issue for the upper house, should it come to the lower house I'll make my views clear then,'' he said.
Mr O'Farrell dismissed suggestions the motion would put pressure on federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott to allow a conscience vote when several gay marriage bills come before federal parliament.
But Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young and Australian Marriage Equality convenor Alex Greenwich said the motion had put pressure on Mr Abbott to allow a conscience vote on the issue.
The upper house passed an amendment from Nationals MP Trevor Khan for religious groups to be exempted from having to perform gay marriage ceremonies.
But the Legislative Council rejected amendments from Christian Democrats MP Fred Nile and Labor's Greg Donnelly, which noted the European Court of Human Rights did not consider homosexual marriage to be an inherent right.
The Legislative Council voted 22 to 16 in favour of the motion.
Coalition MPs, including National Trevor Kahn, previously expressed support for move that calls on the Federal Government to allow gay marriage.
But Liberal Matthew Mason-Cox today said same-sex marriage could lead to polygamy.
"Indeed, if one was to take the notion of equality of marriage to its logical conclusion, then there would be no reason to stand in the way of polygamist marriages, or other variants," he told the chamber today.
During the debate, Labor MP Helen Westwood described being in a lesbian relationship and having eight grandchildren.
''There's just no evidence that my children or my grandchildren have been disadvantaged by being raised in a same-sex relationship,'' she told the chamber.
But Labor's leader in the upper house, Luke Foley, who hails from the party's left faction, said that as a practising Catholic he believed civil unions were more appropriate for gay couples than marriage.
''I do believe that homosexual relationships are different to a married relationship,'' he said, adding a ''procreative relationship open to the possibility of children'' was an ''essential feature of marriage''.
Liberal member Matthew Mason-Cox argued same-sex marriage could lead to polygamy.
''Indeed, if one was to take the notion of equality of marriage to its logical conclusion, then there would be no reason to stand in the way of polygamist marriages, or other variants,'' he said.
''This is the so-called slippery slope in this debate which has manifested itself overseas in some jurisdictions where same-sex marriage has been allowed.''
Fellow Liberal Catherine Cusack, however, said denying gay people the right to marriage caused ''enormous harm and hurt'' and was a 19th century approach to relationships.
''The rights that we have all been able to take for granted - myself, my husband, my parents - ought to be extended to all couples,'' she said.
Premier Barry O'Farrell declined to confirm whether he backed the motion.
''It's an issue for the upper house, should it come to the lower house I'll make my views clear then,'' he said.
Mr O'Farrell dismissed suggestions the motion would put pressure on federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott to allow a conscience vote when several gay marriage bills come before federal parliament.
But Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young and Australian Marriage Equality convenor Alex Greenwich said the motion had put pressure on Mr Abbott to allow a conscience vote on the issue.
The upper house passed an amendment from Nationals MP Trevor Khan for religious groups to be exempted from having to perform gay marriage ceremonies.
But the Legislative Council rejected amendments from Christian Democrats MP Fred Nile and Labor's Greg Donnelly, which noted the European Court of Human Rights did not consider homosexual marriage to be an inherent right.
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