When even The Australian is calling for gay marriage to be legalised, you know the tide has well and truly turned.

Today the conservative mouthpiece editorialised:

“This newspaper has never pushed gay marriage as a first-order issue, given the long list of reforms the nation must deal with to secure our economic prosperity for the long term and to protect our society from the threat of extremist terrorism. Nevertheless, the campaign for same-sex marriage appears to have gained new momentum … The Australian has always stood firmly on the side of individual rights and responsibilities and can see no good reason to resist this reform.”

It’s good to see the Oz come out in support of the true conservative values that it professes to stand for — rather than a party political line. Of course, marriage is a conservative institution, so allowing access to it on an equal basis should be as much a conservative as a progressive reform.

As Crikey has written before, gay marriage is not a top priority issue for the majority of voters. Most Australians don’t want an extended debate about it, which just affords the loony right more opportunities to air their archaic views. They just want gay marriage legalised.

That’s because most people in this country think other people’s personal relationships are none of their — or the government’s — business. Tony Abbott would do well to take their lead.

When even the Oz is on board, you know it’s time.