Members of the Government that support same-sex marriage say there is nothing to be gained by getting into a public slanging match with their colleagues about the issue.

About 83 of the 123 members in the Coalition party room are publicly opposed to changing the definition of marriage.

A couple of the 18 members of Coalition who do support gay marriage are disappointed a cross-party bill to legalise it has been debated publicly in recent days.

None wanted to be interviewed by the ABC.

But one said the recent debate was "totally manufactured by the media".

Another said the discussion "helped Labor" and had given hard-right members of the Government a platform "carry on", making the debate far more divisive than it needed to be.

A series of senior Liberals yesterday came out in support of traditional marriage in an effort to prevent the issue from being debated in Parliament.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott played down the chances of the bill coming to the vote.

Liberal frontbencher Concetta Fierravanti-Wells described it as an "ambush" that "played into the hands of the Government's political opponents".

The leader of the Government in the Senate Eric Abetz suggested ministers who wanted to vote for the legislation should quit the frontbench.

Fellow minister Christopher Pyne said the suggestion "wasn't helpful".

"The Prime Minister's made it absolutely clear many times that everyone can have a different view on this matter and their views need to be respected," he told Channel Nine this morning.

Proponents of same-sex marriage now wish to wait until Parliament resumes in August to debate the issue.

They want to avoid several weeks of divisive debate over the mid-winter break.

Conservative supporters of traditional marriage intend to use party and parliamentary procedures to try to kill off the latest attempt at change.

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