Prime Minister Tony Abbott has slapped down a cross-party attempt to legalise same-sex marriage, but faces six weeks of potentially divisive debate over the issue, with conservative MPs mobilising to block any move to legislate the landmark social reform.
The debate over same-sex marriage will come to a head when Parliament resumes in August, with a marriage equality bill moved by Liberal MP Warren Entsch and seconded by Labor MP Terri Butler and backed by a multi-party grouping to be introduced.
But Mr Abbott pushed back on Wednesday against the move, saying through a spokeswoman that his position remained unchanged and "he supports the current policy that marriage is between a man and a woman. The government's priority is strong economic management and keeping Australians safe."
In an opinion piece for Fairfax Media, government Senate leader Eric Abetz delivered a forceful rebuke to Liberal moderates and forcefully declared his support for the status quo.
"I have no hesitation in supporting the long established Liberal Party policy to preserve and protect the institution of marriage, just as we did at the last election," Senator Abetz writes.
He has also accused the media of having lost its objectivity on the issue, lashed the "activist" US Supreme Court for its dubious decision to legalise same-sex marriage in all 50 US states and heaped praise on conservative justice Antonin Scalia who dissented the court's five-four majority ruling.
Senator Abetz' comments, penned before news of the bill emerged, are some of the most strident yet from conservative Liberal MPs and represent the views of many in the Liberal party room.
A clear majority of Liberals oppose same-sex marriage but many MPs do support a conscience vote while professing they would personally oppose the legislation if or when it reaches the floor of the house.
Conservative powerbrokers hit the phone on Wednesday to play down the prospect of that ever happening, echoing comments issued by Mr Abbott that private members' bills "do not come before the joint party room for discussion unless they will be voted on in the Parliament" and pointing out "it is rare for a private members' bill to be voted on".
The move to bring on the cross-party bill escalates pressure on Mr Abbott to allow a debate in the party room and, possibly, a free vote. Liberal supporters of same-sex marriage want Liberal MPs to be permitted a free vote on the issue.
The cross-party bill is set to be introduced on August 11 and likely will be discussed in the Liberal party room on August 18.
However, the Prime Minister's reference to private members' bill rarely being voted on can be read as a clear sign that the introduction of the bill into the Parliament is far from assured.
MPs who will co-sponsor the bill include Mr Entsch, Ms Butler, Liberal Teresa Gambaro, independent MP Cathy McGowan, Tasmanian independent Andrew Wilkie, Labor MP Laurie Ferguson and Greens MP Adam Bandt.
In May, Mr Abbott said that if the "Parliament were to make a big decision on a matter such as this, I want it to be owned by the Parliament, and not by any particular party" in a response to Labor leader Bill Shorten's private member's bill.
Ms Butler said on Wednesday she was "very excited to be seconding a bill for marriage equality in Australia".
"I strongly hope the cross-party nature of the bill will give those in the Liberal and National [parties] who want to support marriage equality the opportunity to do so," Ms Butler told Fairfax Media.
Ms McGowan confirmed to Fairfax Media she had been involved discussions and that "I expressed my interest in it [co-sponsoring the bill]" and that "people in my electorate want this dealt with and dealt with quickly".
Mr Wilkie also confirmed he was a co-sponsor of the bill.
Mr Shorten welcomed the cross-party bill as a "sign of progress" and said he hoped Liberals were given a free vote.
The managing director of the Australian Christian Lobby, Lyle Shelton quickly criticised the move, but the national director of Australian Marriage Equality, Rodney Croome, predicted advertising and grass roots campaigns in key seats and said the vote would be very close.
