The Coalition has called a special joint party room meeting for Tuesday afternoon to debate its position on same-sex marriage, after a fresh push from advocates for MPs to be granted a free vote.
North Queensland-based MP Warren Entsch, who is spearheading the push, raised the issue at the regular Liberal party room meeting on Tuesday morning.
It is understood Tony Abbott suggested it should be a matter for Liberal and Nationals parliamentarians to decide together at a joint meeting of the Coalition parties.
The leader of the house, Christopher Pyne, argued the Liberal party should make its own decision on its disposition towards a free vote. The ABC reported that Pyne had likened the proposed inclusion of the Nationals as akin to “branch stacking”, because members of that party were less likely to support same-sex marriage.
A source who was at the meeting confirmed to Guardian Australia that Pyne had used the phrase.
The Liberal party room meeting was followed by the regular joint Coalition meeting, which focused on the post-2020 climate change targets and did not make a decision on same-sex marriage. But a special Coalition meeting has now been convened for 3.15pm, after question time.
Abbott said the discussion in the Liberal party room had been “brief and spirited” and he had decided to call the snap Coalition meeting after reviewing his pre-election comments on same-sex marriage.
“What I said pre-election was that, if this matter, same-sex marriage, were to come up in the next parliament, it will be dealt with by the Coalition party room in the usual way,” the prime minister said.
“Given that the Coalition party room didn’t have time this morning to deal with it … I’ve decided that the Coalition party room will effectively reconvene at 3.15 this afternoon specifically to discuss this subject. Apart from other parliamentary business, people will be able to focus entirely on the issue of same-sex marriage when the party room resumes this afternoon.”
Abbott, who firmly opposes same-sex marriage, said everyone wanted to find “a way forward here”.
“Whether the way forward is to maintain the existing position or whether the way forward is to deal with it in some other way will be a matter for the party room. Obviously I have a position on this … and my position hasn’t changed so let’s see what the party room comes up with later today.”
Pyne refused to comment on whether he supported a free vote, but said: “The prime minister is making sure that we have a respectful and sensible debate about all issues that are of interest to the Australian public including marriage equality.”
Entsch said he and Labor MP Terri Butler – the co-sponsor of the proposed marriage equality bill – had now submitted their notice of intention to present the legislation with the table office.
“I have also put a request to the chief government whip asking for the opportunity for the bill to be introduced in the main chamber, due to the significance of the legislation,” Entsch said.
“It is now up to the selection committee to determine when the bill is brought on and the co‐sponsors will await this decision.
“The issue of a free vote was raised in the Liberal party room today, however it was determined that more time was needed for discussion and this has been deferred to a special joint party room meeting later today.”
Entsch said he would not dicuss the content of the bill until it was presented to parliament, which was “the appropriate place for debate”.
Marriage equality campaigners have intensified their efforts in this parliamentary sitting fortnight, attempting to marshal support around the hashtag #WeCanDoThis ahead of the introduction of the cross-party bill.
Liberal party moderates are pushing to be granted the right to vote in line with their conscience, rather than being bound to follow party policy and oppose same-sex marriage.
Conservatives in the party firmly oppose same-sex marriage, and Abbott has previously played down the prospect of the private member’s bill even coming to a vote in parliament.
Abbott’s sister, Christine Forster, praised Entsch for taking the issue to the Liberal party room, saying it was an important discussion. She called on her federal colleauges to back a free vote.
The federal Coalition has an opportunity to embrace the future, not the past, and allow all to exercise their conscience on marriage #auspol
— Christine Forster (@resourcefultype) August 11, 2015
