In addition to having the highest number of "yes" responses in the nation at 74 per cent, Canberra also had the highest participation rate.

An impressive 82.4 per cent of eligible local voters took part in the controversial $122 million poll conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Only 26 per cent, or a little over a quarter, opposed changing the marriage act to allow same sex couples to wed.

The strong "yes" turnout vindicates the ACT Government's groundbreaking decision to legalise gay marriage in 2013.

Many of the couples who took advantage of that short window of opportunity only to have their marriages overturned by the Federal Government are already in the process of planning new ceremonies.

Others, who missed the boat the first time around, are hoping the Government will honour its pledge to have legislation in place by Christmas.

While Canberra set a high bar for tolerance and equality other parts of Australia weren't far behind.

Nationally 79.5 per cent of all registered voters took part. Of these 61.6 per cent said they wanted the current law changed to give same sex couples the same rights as heterosexuals.

The strenuous attempts by many in the "no" camp to sidetrack the debate away from basic human rights and onto religious freedoms, the Safe Schools program and a range of other red herrings never gained enough traction to harden hearts and close minds.

When confronted with what was essentially a non-compulsory vote on an issue of national importance Australians stood up to be counted.

Both the ACT and national participation rates were well above the 58 per cent of Americans who took part in that country's 2016 presidential election. They also exceeded the number of Irish voters who took part in that country's 2015 same sex marriage referendum. Less than half a per cent separated the size of the "yes" vote in Ireland and Australia.

Now the survey, which has confirmed what the opinion polls have been saying for months, is over the big question is what happens next.

A rearguard action, intended to minimise the effects of the result by imposing "exemptions" allowing discrimination against same sex couples planning a wedding, is already being fought by hardline conservatives who anticipated this outcome.

The now defunct bill sponsored by the Liberals James Paterson would, it has been claimed, have actually increased discrimination against gay couples and individuals.

Mr Paterson and his supporters are now concentrating on amendments to the "consensus" bill introduced into parliament by fellow Liberal and marriage equality advocate, Dean Smith, on Wednesday afternoon.

Parliamentarians considering joining their camp would be well advised to take a close look at Wednesday's poll results. The people have said "Yes" and expect their views to be respected.