Stop the shouting. The people have spoken. Australians can make mature decisions, respect other people’s points of view and get on with life.

By voting overwhelming in favour of gay marriage, Australians have sent a firm message to their politicians. After years of opportunistic, hypocritical and sometimes ugly debate — where certainly no political party and few individual politicians have managed to be true and consistent — voters have provided a clear path forward.

The final result of 61.6 per cent in favour and 38.4 per cent against shows Australians are ready for this landmark social reform by a factor getting close to two to one. Gay marriage was strongly supported in every state.

The turnout for a voluntary survey was outstanding. With near enough to 80 per cent of eligible voters having their say, the result carries great legitimacy and it vindicates the persistence of Malcolm Turnbull in finding an innovative way to give people their say after Labor and the Greens blocked Tony Abbott’s plebiscite compromise. We can safely presume the 20 per cent who didn’t bother with the survey are phlegmatic about the issue.

Woe betide our political class if they now seek to complicate this task and bog themselves in more delay and posturing over the implementation. Voters are entitled to expect a minimalist implementation of this reform before Christmas. Read more via the Australian