AUSTRALIA’S most highly-ranked Catholic bishops have entered the political fray by calling on Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten to keep marriage between a man and a woman.

The 2016 election statement due to be released on Monday will be a thorn in the side of the Coalition Government, which has vowed to hold a plebiscite on the issue after the election.

Australian Marriage Equality estimates 72% of Australians support same-sex marriage, including 59% of Christians and 85% of people with children.

Fairfax Media reports the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference will tell both government and Opposition that “political decisions” can hurt families and damage the institution of marriage.

“The fact is that economic decisions have been less and less favourable to families in recent years; and it may be that political decisions in the future will undermine further the dignity and uniqueness of marriage as a lifelong union of man and woman.

“Support for marriage and the family does not look a big vote-winner, so that even the most basic human institution, upon which the health of a society depends, can become part of the throwaway culture or at best an optional extra.”

Source: Sunshine Coast Daily