"We'll make quite a bit tonight," the source said. Afterwards, sources said the event ran longer than scheduled and raised more than expected, putting the figure in the "several hundreds of thousands" of dollars. Also seen attending the event were South Australian Liberals Anne Ruston, Sean Edwards and Simon Birmingham. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull addresses a fundraiser at the headquarters of senator Cory Bernardi's Conservative Leadership Foundation in June. Credit:Andrew Meares A picture of the Queen was seen hanging on the wall - Cory Bernardi is a staunch monarchist while Malcolm Turnbull led the failed Republican campaign in the 1999 referendum. The CLF website notes the venue is the "headquarters of Australia's conservative movement" and can host 150 people in a "cocktail format." There were attempts to replace some of the foundation's signage with Mr Turnbull's paraphernalia but its understood this was swiftly rebuffed. The CLF's shop boast an array of Cory Bernardi merchandise, including "Hardcore Conservative" T-shirts and the senator's five books. His most recent is The Conservative Revolution, in which Senator Bernardi labelled women who have abortions as "abhorrent and pro-death."

He also said children from single mother families have higher levels of criminality and promiscuity, and claimed his views were not "far-right" but "enduring." Mr Turnbull leaves the private function at the Conservative Leadership Foundation House in Adelaide. Credit:Andrew Meares Earlier, Mr Turnbull held a teleconference with Senator Bernardi's factional rival Christopher Pyne, who holds the marginal seat of Sturt. Mr Turnbull's decision to associate himself with the Conservative Leadership Foundation will play into Labor's claims that he is little different to former leader Tony Abbott. Mr Turnbull poses for photos outside the Conservative Leadership Foundation. Credit:Andrew Meares

Mr Turnbull and Senator Bernardi clashed over the issue of gay marriage in 2013 when the South Australian called on Mr Turnbull to stick to party policy to oppose change or quit the frontbench. Despite criticising a plebiscite as an inferior option to resolving the issue, Mr Turnbull has adopted Mr Abbott's plan to hold a plebiscite instead of allowing the Parliament to decide the issue. Liberal senator Cory Bernardi. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Mr Abbott has repeatedly argued that little has changed since Mr Turnbull's elevation to the leadership, particularly on critical areas like gay marriage and climate change, where Mr Turnbull is viewed as a moderate. Speaking to The Conversation's Michelle Grattan on Thursday, before the event took place, Mr Abbott said leaders had to give up their private views in the interests of the team.