The Australian Senate is to begin debating a marriage equality bill on Thursday, according to the bill’s author.

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young made the announcement on the TV programme Insiders this morning.

Her statement follows recent announcements by politicians in both South Australia and Tasmania that they will push their own marriage equality bills if the federal government fails to act.

“I think its been great to see the states taking the leadership on this and really showing up what most Australians want – we want to see marriage equality delivered in Australia,’ Hanson-Young said.

“To that point, this week in the Senate on Thursday we will be finally debating my same-sex marriage bill, the Marriage Equality Bill, trying to get some movement on that issue in the federal parliament because the majority of Australians accept that we should get on with it.”

Thirty Australian senators have so far declared support for marriage equality, with 20 opposed and 26 undecided.