The High Court has struck down the challenges to the same-sex marriage ballot, clearing the way for voting papers to start going out next week.

The court’s decision was handed down at 2:15pm (AEST) while Question Time was on in federal parliament. Malcolm Turnbull received the result via a text.

It comes as a huge relief to the government, which would have been left scratching for a back-up plan if the ballot had been declared unconstitutional.

Read the full article on The Conversation.