CANBERRA — Australians have said they support gay marriage in a postal survey that ensures that the Parliament will consider a bill to legalize same-sex weddings this year.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics said on Wednesday that 62 percent of registered adults who responded had voted for the reform in an unprecedented two-month survey.

The conservative government had promised to allow the Parliament to consider a bill to create marriage equality in Australia in its final two-week session that is due to end on Dec. 7.

While gay marriage could be a reality in Australia by Christmas, some government lawmakers have vowed to vote down gay marriage regardless of the survey’s outcome.

Opponents have also questions the legitimacy of any same-sex marriage law, since several lawmakers could potentially be disqualified from Parliament due to a constitutional ban on dual citizens standing for election.

Ireland is the only other country in the world to put the divisive issue to a popular vote.

In Ireland, 61 percent of registered voters turned out for a referendum in 2015, and 62 percent of those voted to change the constitution to allow marriage equality.

In Australia, almost 80 percent of more than 16 million registered voters posted in ballots.

ASSOCIATED PRESS