Gay marriage advocates in Australia had argued that Tasmania's impending legalization of gay marriage should influence Australia's deliberations.

The national convener of Australian Marriage Equality, Alex Greenwich, for instance, said that the vote in the lower Tasmania meant that the move towards redefining marriage equality in Tasmania was ”unstoppable”.

But as we know, nothing in the marriage fight is inevitable.

Now both Australia and Tasmania have defeated gay marriage:

Gay marriage advocates have vowed to keep campaigning as numbers mount against them in the first attempt at pioneering state-based same sex marriage.

The numbers for reform in Tasmania were lost tonight when the eighth voice against the bill was declared in the 15 member state upper house, the Legislative Council.

... Already struggling for numbers in the council, the Same Sex Marriage bill fell after key undeclared MPs raised constitutional doubts. -- Sydney Morning Herald