‪The Liberal Party is set to decide on same sex marriage conscience vote on August 18.

News Corp reports the Liberal Party will make a decision on whether to allow its members to vote freely next month.

The move comes after news a cross-party marriage equality bill would be introduced to Federal Parliament when MPs return to Canberra after the mid year break.

The Bill is expected to go before parliament on August 11.

According to reports emerging from Canberra, it will be sponsored by Coalition MPs Warren Entsch and Teresa Gambaro as well as independents Andrew Wilkie and Cath McGowan and two MPs from the Labor party.

The news comes less than a week after a landmark Supreme Court ruling in the US effectively legalised same-sex marriage across the entire country, and over a month since a historic referendum in Ireland gave same-sex couple's the right to wed.

Despite the groundswell of support worldwide, however, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has repeatedly told the media that his opposition to the move remains unchanged.

The Australian Labor Party voted in 2011 to allows its parliamentarians a conscience vote on the matter, however, there has been a recent push within the Opposition to bind MPs to a policy in favour of legalisation.

Labor's National Conference could also consider it's position on the issue next month.

News of the Liberal Party's long awaited move on marriage equality is already being hailed as a break through in the push for new laws.







More to come...