The prime minister remains committed to holding a national vote on same-sex marriage as soon as possible after an election, but not by the end of the year.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull isn't committing to a national vote on same-sex marriage this year, instead saying one will be held as soon as possible after the election.
Attorney-General George Brandis on Sunday said if the government was re-elected there would be a plebiscite this year, sparking speculation about the planned timing of the election.
But the prime minister's office is sticking to its existing position, with a spokeswoman telling AAP it would be held "as early as possible after the election".
The Australian Electoral Commission has told a parliamentary inquiry it would need 29 weeks to plan a plebiscite, meaning holding one this year would likely require an early election.
"The bill to constitute the plebiscite will be introduced early in the life of the new parliament so that we can have the plebiscite before the end of this year," Senator Brandis told Sky News on Sunday.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said the incident proved the chaos and division within the Liberal government.
"This is a new land speed record for a broken promise, made over breakfast and gone before dinner," he said in a statement on Sunday.
