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Labor is sharpening its attack on Liberal leadership hopefuls and prominent moderates Malcolm Turnbull and Julie Bishop, claiming they are missing in action on gay marriage.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten on Tuesday called on Liberal MPs who support change to demand a free vote from Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who is opposed to marriage equality.
"Where is Malcolm on this issue? Either he supports marriage equality or he doesn't," Mr Shorten said.
"If he does, he will call on the Prime Minister to allow Liberal MPs a free vote on marriage equality, like the Labor Party does.
"The world isn't waiting for Tony Abbott and our Parliament shouldn't have to. Ministers like Julie Bishop and Joe Hockey have been strangely silent on this issue."
Mr Turnbull has long been a vocal proponent of gay marriage.
Momentum is building in Parliament for change following Ireland's successful referendum at the weekend. Mr Abbott has conceded he is the last person in his own family to still believe gay and lesbian couples should not be allowed to marry.
NSW Liberal Democrat senator David Leyonhjelm has introduced a "Freedom to Marry" bill in the Senate but is holding off on bringing on a vote until he can be guaranteed there is enough support in the Parliament.
The Greens plan to bring forward a Senate debate on that party's marriage equality bill next month. The party has also set November 12 for a Senate vote, before Parliament rises for the summer.
Several key Labor Right figures, including frontbenchers Chris Bowen, Ed Husic and Tony Burke, have recently declared their support for change.
But if Liberals are not not allowed to vote freely, there will not be enough numbers to pass the bill.
Mr Turnbull told the ABC on Monday the matter was "up to the party room" but he supports a free vote.
"The Prime Minister has been clear that the decision as to whether we have a free vote will be one taken by the party room," he said.
He said change was more likely than ever because of strong public support for marriage equality.
But Treasurer Joe Hockey warned the issue could "break the community asunder".
"I think there is a lot of division in the community and I think we've got to be really sensitive about everyone's views," he told the ABC's Q&A program.
"That's where I've come to. When people love each other they want to express it in many different ways and I think that's a good thing, we should encourage that. For a lot of people who have been married for a very long time they see the institution as one thing, particularly if they've had a religious ceremony."
When it was pointed out that Ireland, a strong Catholic country, has overwhelmingly voted for change, Mr Hockey noted opposition from Northern Ireland and the Vatican remained resolute.
"I think we've got to get the balance right and we don't want to break the community asunder on this one."
Two years ago, Mr Hockey told Q&A that he had reversed his support for gay marriage since he became a father because he believes children deserve a mother and a father.
Ms Bishop has previously stated she supports the government's position.
