Greens want a vote, as Penny Wong, Tony Abbott question idea from Tony Windsor to have referendum on gay marriage FINANCE Minister Penny Wong has questioned Independent MP Tony Windsor's idea of having a referendum on same-sex marriage laws. Mr Windsor says he supports the idea of a plebiscite on the issue but clarified he won't necessarily be leading the push to make it happen. He said both sides of the gay marriage debate claimed they had the numbers so "if enough Australians wanted one" a plebiscite would be an opportunity to have the issue resolved. "What tends to happen is politicians get captive to various interest groups," Mr Windsor told ABC Radio. But Finance Minister Penny Wong, who is in a same-sex relationship, said she would "sound a note of caution" about the idea. She said a plebiscite would be a "very high bar to jump." "My view is the parliament has a responsibility and will one day discharge that responsibility," Senator Wong told Sky News today. Senator Wong pointed to the 1999 republic referendum which failed across all states despite having strong public support. "John Howard and Tony Abbott ran a very good fear campaign and we lost that referendum," she said. Opposition Leader Tony Abbott told reporters today that he thought the September election was not the right time for a referendum on gay marriage. I think the coming election should be uncomplicated by other matters...I think the election should be a referendum on the carbon tax .. the current government, do you really want three more years of this? "If there's ever to be a plebiscite on this subject it should be held quite separate from this election," he said. But Australian Greens leader Christine Milne says holding a national poll on gay marriage is a "distraction" and the real stumbling block is Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's position. "The only impediment is that the coalition won't provide a conscience vote," Senator Milne said. Tony Abbott should give a conscience vote to his members in both houses of parliament and we can legislate this before the election. Australian Marriage Equality national convener Rodney Croome said a plebiscite was unnecessary and potentially divisive. "We fear cashed-up opponents of marriage equality would exploit a referendum to polarise the electorate and demonise gay and lesbian people in a way that will impact badly, particularly on young gay people," Mr Croome said in a statement. Independent Senator Nick Xenophon says he generally believes parliament should decide issues like gay marriage but a plebiscite could be a way to break the impasse. "When you've got a vexed, intractable issue sometimes a referendum ... might be a way to cut through the issue," he told the Seven Network. A vote, a referendum, might be a circuit breaker.