Three summers ago, for a brief but happy period, Veronica Wensing and Krishna Sadhana's love was equal before the law.
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The small window between the passing of the ACT's same-sex marriage bill and the High Court annulment allowed them to wed in a hastily planned ceremony, surrounded by 200 loved ones in Gungahlin.
"Nothing will ever take that day and that experience away from us," Ms Wensing said.
The wedding made them one of several dozen same-sex couples to have married in Australia.
The "rollercoaster" experience also gave Ms Wensing, a Greens candidate for October's ACT election, a unique insight into the damage a plebiscite could do to LGBTIQ Canberrans, their families, and children.
The fear of a "no" campaign marred by bile and hatred is such that it has forced Ms Wensing to a difficult personal position.
"I've come to the view that I would rather see no plebiscite," she said.
"If one of the outcomes of that was that the whole equal marriage debate was postponed for four years, I could live with that."
"I would rather see a delay than the degree of hostility that's going to come out in the community."
The formal ACT Greens policy, announced on Monday, is to oppose a divisive and expensive plebiscite, but to actively campaign for a "yes" vote if it goes ahead.
The party would also use any kingmaker status in the Legislative Assembly to push for $500,000 funding to offer support to LGBTIQ Canberrans who are affected by vitriol from a "no" campaign.
"I fear for the mental health and wellbeing of all of us, and that's not just us who are LGBTI, it's for our kids and for our families as well," Ms Wensing said.
The Greens would also establish a LGBTIQ commissioner, who would specialise in dealing with harassment, discrimination and vilification complaints.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr on Monday reaffirmed his opposition to the plebiscite, but said he would strongly campaign for a "yes" vote if it went ahead.
Mr Barr has pledged to be a leading voice in the push for same-sex marriage, and has repeatedly called for a free vote in federal Parliament, rather than the Coalition's planned plebiscite, which now looks likely to be delayed until next year.
Also on Monday, former High Court justice Michael Kirby warned a plebiscite on same-sex marriage would create hate and division, and was against the spirit of the constitution.
Federal Labor member for Fenner Andrew Leigh was repeatedly asked on ABC radio on Monday morning whether he would vote for plebiscite legislation when it came before Parliament.
Mr Leigh reiterated his criticisms of the divisive and costly plebiscite, but did not indicate whether he would support Coalition legislation for the national vote.
