Tony Abbott should stop trying to both delay the ACT’s history-making legislation and deny the love of thousands of same-sex couples around the country, the Australian Greens have said.

“Today’s High Court challenge is unprecedented,” the Greens’ LGBTI spokesperson, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

“Never before has Australia had marriage equality laws to defend and never before have we had a Prime Minister so hell-bent on denying same-sex couples equality.

“Tony Abbott is an equality skeptic. He needs to understand that Australia is ready for marriage equality and that, rather than doing everything he can to slow it done, he should work to achieve it a Federal level.

“The ACT should be able to govern freely without Tony Abbott meddling because he’s personally uncomfortable with what they’re doing.

“Tony Abbott’s private opinion shouldn’t mean that gay and lesbian Australians are denied equality.

“Australian same-sex couples have long been waiting for equality. Every day that they’re forced to wait for form this point forward is another day too many.”