A poll this week found that more than 60 per cent of people who say they have returned their postal vote also said they had voted yes.

Of course, the only result that matters will be the one handed down by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on November 15 but even strong supporters of traditional marriage are starting to concede their case has been lost.

A victory for the yes case will be a victory for equality in this country and will finally put an end to the embarrassment of us lingering in the dark ages as much of the rest of the developed world has embraced same-sex marriage over the past decade or so.

But it will not be a victory for Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, despite his best efforts to spin it as such.

Mr Turnbull told breakfast television on Wednesday that it appeared more than 70 per cent of Australians will have cast a vote in the postal plebiscite by the time it closes on November 7.

Given it is an optional survey – and given countries with optional voting systems struggle to get a 70 per cent turnout for their parliamentary elections – Mr Turnbull was right to say that it would be a remarkable result for Australia.

But he was wrong to say such a strong turnout would be proof his government had done the right thing in taking this issue to a plebiscite in the first place.

That’s the sort of obnoxious spin doctoring that gives politicians such a bad name.

Every poll in recent years has shown majority support of same-sex marriage in Australia and it appears this latest poll – a $122 million exercise in waste – will simply confirm those results.

But many who have cast a vote in this poll have done so despite believing the postal plebiscite was a cynical, divisive, expensive and unnecessary step in the process.

Voting in the poll does not indicate support for the poll – regardless of how much Mr Turnbull might want it to.

Rather, it indicates an admirable pragmatism from yes supporters who want to get the job done, by whatever means.

When same-sex marriage is legalised in this country, in will be in spite of – not because of – Mr Turnbull’s efforts. And that’s a shame given his vocal support for same-sex marriage throughout his public life.