Indonesia's foreign ministry has dismissed the suggestion relations with Australia could be affected if same-sex marriage was legalised in Australia.

Australian Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce has said Asian countries could see Australia as "decadent" if same-sex marriage was legalised.

On Sunday Mr Joyce was asked about comments last week by another frontbencher opposed to same-sex marriage, Eric Abetz, who is the Leader of the Government in the Senate.

Senator Abetz suggested that if Asian countries did not accept same-sex marriage then Australia should not either, pointing to the often-repeated phrase that for Australia this was the Asian century.

"Eric is right in saying where we live economically is south-east Asia, that's where our cattle go," Mr Joyce told the ABC's Insiders program.

"When we go there, there are judgments whether you like it or not that are made about us.

"They see us as decadent."

But Indonesia's foreign ministry has expressed a lack of concern about the issue.

Spokesman Arrmanatha Nasir said the issue was one for the Australian Government as it was an issue of Australian law.

"I think that's an issue that has to be decided by the government, or the authority, that's discussing this issue," he said.

"Because, as I understand it, is a national legislation, national rules and legislation ... and it has nothing to do with ... our national law.

"In the context of [the Australia-Indonesia] relationship, it is always built on a mutually beneficial relationship."

He said Indonesia's law on marriage would stay the same.

In addition to not allowing same-sex marriage, Indonesia does not allow people from different religions to marry, but a group of law graduates is attempting to challenge that law to allow interfaith marriage.

Another major Asian player, China, seemed similarly unconcerned about its trading partners' stances on same-sex marriage, according to China expert Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian.

The UK's consul-general married his partner in September last year and there was outpouring of support from users of Chinese social media, Ms Allen-Ebrahimian told Radio National's Late Night Live program.

She said while China was still a very traditional society, in the past 10 or 15 years some of the taboo of talking about LGBT issues had faded.

"In 2009 a gay couple staged a wedding — obviously not legally recognised — and state media in fact gave that very positive coverage. They put a big photo of the couple embracing in these very tightly controlled state media outlets," she said.

"Since 2009 that has happened several times. In fact just last week there was a gay couple and I believe it was the China Daily ran a photo of them kissing at their wedding."

The issue of same-sex marriage has been back on the agenda in Australia, with confirmation that Liberal MP Warren Entsch planned to introduce a private member's bill to legalise same-sex marriage, with cross-party sponsorship, when Parliament resumes in August.

Before the last election Prime Minister Tony Abbott promised to allow the Coalition party room to decide if government MPs and senators should be allowed a conscience vote on the issue, which if it was allowed would give the bill a chance of passing.

However, Mr Abbott has played down the chances of the private member's bill being debated and put to a vote.

The divide: Where Coalition members stand on gay marriage

Liberal Supporters (15) Nationals Supporters (3) Liberal Opposed (66) Nationals Opposed (18) Liberal Undecided/Undeclared (21) Mal Brough Darren Chester Tony Abbott Andrew Broad John Alexander Warren Entsch Kevin Hogan Kevin Andrews George Christensen Karen Andrews Josh Frydenberg Senator Nigel Scullion Bob Baldwin John Cobb Julie Bishop Teresa Gambaro Bruce Billson Mark Coulton Peter Dutton Natasha Griggs Bronwyn Bishop David Gillespie Eric Hutchinson Sarah Henderson Russell Broadbent Luke Hartsuyker Sussan Ley Greg Hunt Scott Buchholz Michelle Landry Ian Macfarlane Ewen Jones David Coleman Michael McCormack Christian Porter Kelly O'Dwyer Paul Fletcher Ken O'Dowd Jane Prentice Wyatt Roy Ian Goodenough Keith Pitt Melissa Price Malcolm Turnbull Alex Hawke Bruce Scott Andrew Robb Senator Simon Birmingham Peter Hendy Warren Truss Fiona Scott Senator Linda Reynolds Joe Hockey Senator Matthew Canavan Angus Taylor Senator Arthur Sinodinos Luke Howarth Senator Bridget McKenzie Lucy Wicks Senator Dean Smith Steve Irons Senator Fiona Nash Matt Williams Michael Keenan Senator Barry O'Sullivan Jason Wood Craig Kelly Senator John Williams Ken Wyatt Andrew Laming Barnaby Joyce Senator Scott Ryan Craig Laundy Senator George Brandis Nola Marino Senator James McGrath Louise Markus Senator Marise Payne Russell Matheson Karen McNamara Scott Morrison Andrew Nikolic Tony Pasin Christopher Pyne Rowan Ramsey Don Randall Stuart Robert Philip Ruddock Luke Simpkins Tony Smith Andrew Southcott Sharman Stone Ann Sudmalis Michael Sukkar Dan Tehan Alan Tudge Bert van Manen Nickolas Varvaris Ross Vasta Brett Whiteley Rick Wilson Senator Eric Abetz Senator Chris Black Senator Cory Bernardi Senator David Bushby Senator Michaelia Cash Senator Richard Colbeck Senator Mathias Cormann Senator Sean Edwards Senator David Fawcett Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells Senator Mitch Fifield Senator Bill Heffernan Senator David Johnston Senator Jo Lindgren Senator Ian Macdonald Senator Stephen Parry Senator Michael Richardson Senator Zed Seselja Dennis Jensen Jamie Briggs Steven Ciobo Senator Anne Ruston

Source: Australian Marriage Equality and ABC News analysis