"I think there's a lot further to go on this issue and on this question," he told host Ray Hadley. Social Services Minister Scott Morrison. Credit:Louie Douvis "It is a very significant change to a long-standing institution." Mr Morrison, who is opposed to laws that would change the definition of marriage, said people should not presume that introducing same-sex marriage via a change to the Marriage Act was the "only answer". "I think there's a range of options, which haven't been ventilated," he said, referring to senior Liberal MP Philip Ruddock, who told Q&A on Monday that a French-style approach "may be worth a look at".

This would see civil unions registered at the federal level, while marriages would be determined by religious bodies. Ray Hadley has withdrawn his Dural home from the market. Credit:Peter Rae "There would be a civil union act, where you would get equality of all relationships before the law," Mr Morrison said. "And then issues of marriage would be determined by the various religious bodies." The Social Services Minister also told Hadley: "If you say that you don't get on board with the same-sex marriage bandwagon, then somehow you're a homophobe or something like that - I don't think that's very helpful".

He said he hoped that the issue would not "be a thing that tears the country apart". If you say that you don't get on board with the same-sex marriage bandwagon, then somehow you're a homophobe or something like that - I don't think that's very helpful "I think it's time for people to have a bit of a breather about this and consider what the other options are." Mr Morrison noted that there were "very strong" views about same-sex marriage in some migrant and ethnic communities that had not yet been taken into account. During the interview, Hadley told Mr Morrison that his own views had "shifted" on same-sex marriage.

ETS-style split talk "hyperventilation" Also on Tuesday, parliamentary secretary Steve Ciobo dismissed claims a free vote could lead to an ETS-style split within the government as "intemperate" and "hyperventilation", Liberal National MP, George Christensen, who sits in the federal Nationals party room, said any free vote would be "bizarre" and a "slap in the face" for grassroots members. "The party membership didn't like being ignored on the ETS and they won't on this one either," Mr Christensen warned. Speaking on Sky News, Mr Ciobo said: "I certainly don't believe its anything like that."

"There's a few people that I think are … hyperventilating and I can understand why." Mr Ciobo is opposed to same-sex marriage but supports a conscience vote. He said there were many different views within the Liberal Party. "The most fundamental of which is a belief that the individual reigns supreme over the state – the Nationals of course doesn't hold the same commitment to individuals," he said. Former Howard government minister Peter Reith on Tuesday backed a plebiscite on same-sex marriage to take the issue out of politicians' hands. "Many of the supporters of same-sex marriage say the reform is inevitable this year. They might be right, but nothing is inevitable in politics," Mr Reith wrote for Fairfax Media on Tuesday.

"A plebiscite could be fairly presented to politicians as a bonus for them, as both sides are struggling with the issue." This view is also supported by the Victorian backbencher Michael Sukkar, who opposes both a free vote on the issue. Momentum has been building within the Coalition for change ever since the overwhelming endorsement for gay marriage approved in the Irish referendum, with a string of MPs changing their position. The Assistant Treasurer and rising star Josh Frydenberg has also changed his view in favour of gay marriage but this has earned him internal criticism for speaking against party policy while being a minister. There are different views within the Coalition about what the government's policy is. Conservatives opposed to change believe it is to uphold the existing definition of marriage while those supporting change say they were promised it would be debated in the party room in the Coalition's first term. Loading

Same-sex marriage advocates estimate that if all MPs were given a free vote, then a bill could pass the Parliament by a slim majority. Follow us on Twitter