The moral indignation of Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews public letter to the Prime Minister on marriage equality again shows the rabid intolerance from the left in Australia against anyone who doesn’t happen to share their view.

When I first told my family about my sexuality, I genuinely thought it would be one of the most difficult conversations I would have to have in my life. Instead, I’ve come to find that being prepared to stand up as someone who is gay and say that I do not support a change to marriage is much harder.

Indeed, it’s often suggested that not supporting a change to the definition of marriage is “homophobic”. Yet in circumstances where literally hundreds of gay people like me don’t support a change this suggestion is absurd.

In effect, marriage is a public policy question – albeit an emotive one – but a matter on which Australians need to draw their own conclusions. Despite protestations from the lefty lynch mob about being “on the right side of history”, the directions we take a nation should be determined for ourselves by the people.

The marriage plebiscite, whenever it takes place, will give our fellow Australians a chance to have their say about our nation’s future. In a democracy this is something that we should embrace.

To suggest, as Daniel Andrews has, that Australians can’t be trusted to speak openly or to debate the big issues is offensive – offensive and particularly strange to come from someone who has been a beneficiary of our great democracy.

His letter to Malcolm Turnbull demonstrates a lack of faith and confidence in our fellow Australians.

Josh Manuatu is ACT Young Liberal President and a staffer to Liberal Senator Eric Abetz. He Tweets at @JoshManuatu