One of the Coalition’s leading advocates for marriage equality, Warren Entsch, has called on the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, to hold a plebiscite as soon as possible to prevent “extreme views” hampering the social change.
On Monday the innovation minister, Christopher Pyne, said the government was still committed to hold the plebiscite by the end of the year, but said “no one should feel hidebound by the month in which a plebiscite is held”.
The day after the election senator Cory Bernardi said the Coalition should “take a deep breath” and there was no need to hurry the plebiscite.
Asked on Radio National on Monday whether the government was committed to hold the plebiscite by the end of the year, Pyne said: “Well of course it is! Its policy hasn’t changed. We have a promise to deliver a plebiscite.
“The timing of the plebiscite will be determined by how many months there are left in the year and how quickly the machinery provisions can be put in place for these matters, and no one should feel hidebound by the month in which a plebiscite is held.”
Pyne said the entire party agreed with the plebiscite “because we want everyone to have a say on this major social change, not just the parliamentarians”.
Responding to Pyne and Bernardi’s comments, Entsch said: “My understanding is we’re having [the plebiscite] as soon as possible. Nothing has changed.
“I have no reason to believe we won’t have it as soon as possible.
“The less time we give to extreme views, on either side, the best possibility we have of getting a positive outcome.”
Entsch said he would not engage in a “speculative argument” about a delay.
Marriage equality is shaping up as a crucial early test for Turnbull’s leadership, after Bernardi called it a “fringe” and “trendy issue” that should not preoccupy the Coalition.
During the election campaign, Turnbull said he would press on with delivering a marriage equality plebiscite by the end of the year.
On Sunday the deputy prime minister, Barnaby Joyce, told Sky News the issue was “done and dusted” and was “overwhelmingly” what voters wanted.
“The senators who have just been elected will vote for the plebiscite because that is what the Australian people want,” he said.
Joyce said marriage equality was “very important for the people involved but is not the issue that is brought up with you on the street”.
He said it might be “front and centre politics” in Canberra but “it’s not out there”, referring to the rest of Australia.
Labor and the Greens have not ruled out blocking the enabling legislation for the plebiscite, which led to a warning from Tony Abbott that there should be no parliamentary vote on same-sex marriage if the plebiscite legislation were blocked.
Pyne also criticised an unnamed Coalition MP quoted in the Australian who warned that because Turnbull had won the election only narrowly he would have to “kneel at the conservative altar”.
Pyne said: “Whoever said that, if they did really say it, they should put their name to [it].
“It sounds very brave and chest-beating when you say it anonymously. But I’d love a person who says something like that to actually put their name to it. Without their name it’s just cowardice, obviously.”
He said the party room was “supreme” in the Liberal party and the cabinet and party would work in the nation’s interest.
“I’m not going to respond to cowardly statements ... from anonymous sources who haven’t got the wherewithal and the strength of character to put their names to those sorts of flowery statements.”
