A LIBERAL senator is pressing ahead with a bill to allow same-sex marriage, labelling the government’s plebiscite policy “divisive” and designed to delay change.

West Australian senator Dean Smith will be among Liberal MPs attending a special partyroom meeting in Canberra on Monday, convened to discuss a way forward on the historic change to marriage laws.

Nationals members meeting in Rockhampton on Friday are expected to recommit to the plebiscite policy, which originated from a joint meeting of the parties in 2015 under Tony Abbott and is understood to be part of the coalition agreement.

Senator Smith said allowing Liberal MPs a free vote in parliament on same-sex marriage was in line with the tradition of Robert Menzies and John Howard.

It also delivered on a key party principle — equality before the law for all people.

“The time is now for a parliamentary vote on same-sex marriage,” he told Sky News on Friday.

RELATED: Same-sex marriage a fatal distraction to Turnbull government

media_camera Senator Dean Smith has ruled out supporting any kind of plebiscite.

He said the public had lost confidence in the idea of a plebiscite, describing it as a “tool for delay.”

Liberal colleagues have flagged the idea of a postal vote, which would not require parliament to pass a bill and would be cheaper.

Senator Smith said promoters of the postal vote such as cabinet minister Peter Dutton deserved credit for seeking to find a solution, but there were too many unknowns — including the cost, whether it would disenfranchise younger voters not currently on the electoral roll, and the “very real consideration” of a legal challenge.

He dismissed claims it was a test of Malcolm Turnbull’s leadership.

“Malcolm Turnbull will continue to be the leader up until the next election,” he said.

“This is not Malcolm Turnbull’s test. This is a test of every member of the parliamentary Liberal party.”

Senator Smith plans to circulate his bill in the coming week, which he says will reflect the findings of a Senate inquiry.

media_camera Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is under increasing pressure and has called a Liberal partyroom meeting for Monday. Picture: AAP

Mr Turnbull has continued to face pressure from inside his party on the gay marriage issue — now Bill Shorten has indicated how Labor want it to play out.

In an interview with ABC 7.30 last night, Mr Shorten said they could help suspend standing orders in parliament so a private member’s bill could be brought on.

“If we get the chance to vote up marriage equality and have a vote on it in the parliament, a fair dinkum vote, we are absolutely up for that but it doesn’t have to be me or someone senior in Labor who moves the bill. Let’s make it cross-party. Let’s just get it done,” he said.

“I think a lot of Australians are genuinely getting peeved off we are not just voting on it. We go to parliament every week. We vote on the most amazing minutiae. This is a big issue.

“We have made 20 amendments since the Marriage Act was introduced. Why now are we making gay people have to jump through an extra lawmaking hoop of a plebiscite when we have never asked anyone else to do it when we amended the Marriage Act?”

When asked if he knew how many Labor MPs would vote against it, he the “vast majority” were behind it, and only a “very small number” of MPs would not back the push for marriage equality.

Bill Shorten on same-sex marriage vote Bill Shorten on same-sex marriage vote

His comments come as Mr Turnbull poured cold water on the idea of the Liberal Party going it alone in legislating for same-sex marriage.

However the party’s MPs will meet separately in what is being dubbed as an emergency meeting to discuss the issue on Monday, ahead of a joint party room meeting on Tuesday.

Warren Entsch — one of the Liberal MPs pushing for a vote in parliament rather than a national plebiscite — says it’s vital Liberals are able to make a decision even if it runs contrary to that of their coalition partners.

Mr Entsch argues Liberal members were “ambushed” when former prime minister Tony Abbott brought the Nationals to a meeting on the issue in 2015, after which the coalition parties got behind the plebiscite as an election promise.

media_camera Malcolm Turnbull is coming under increasing pressure on the issue of same-sex marriage. Picture: AAP

Mr Entsch says the plebiscite was a “captain’s pick” by Mr Abbott and has become impossible to sell because some MPs say they won’t accept the result.

“Instead of being ambushed and deceived, I trust this prime minister to do the right thing and give us an opportunity to have a fair hearing on this,” Mr Entsch told Sky News yesterday.

He said the Nationals would be free to disagree with the Liberal position and vote against it.

media_camera Tim Wilson is one of several MPs backing progress. Picture: Ray Strange.

media_camera Barnaby Joyce says MPs shouldn’t be punished for crossing the floor. Picture: AAP

Barnaby Joyce says he wouldn’t punish government MPs for crossing the floor of the lower house in favour of gay marriage.

Mr Joyce said Liberal and National MPs have the right to vote against party lines, and the coalition doesn’t subscribe to the same “totalitarian process” as the opposition.

“I’d be the last person to criticise someone for crossing floor — in the Labor Party they kick you out,” the Nationals leader told ABC radio.

Originally published as Gay marriage rebels up the ante