At least 10 Government MPs chose to abstain from Thursday's final conscience vote on same-sex marriage in the House of Representatives.

In the end there was no official record of the overwhelming support for the bill, because the Government benches were overflowing with Coalition, Labor and crossbench supporters.

Only four MPs voted no — the Coalition's Russell Broadbent, Keith Pitt and David Littleproud, and crossbencher Bob Katter. According to the standing orders, if fewer than five people oppose a bill, it passes "on the voices" and the names of those who backed it are not officially recorded. However, a number of staunch opponents of the same-sex marriage bill were notably absent during the vote. Read more via ABC