Both sides of the same-sex marriage debate are furiously lobbying Liberal MPs ahead of a Senate debate on the issue.
But they may be wasting their time because a free vote isn't likely to be discussed at a Liberal party room meeting on Tuesday, the last chance before budget week in May.
The Australian Christian Lobby arranged for two million emails from 20,000 Australians to be sent to Liberal MPs urging them to vote as one to preserve existing marriage laws.
The Senate is scheduled to debate a private bill to legalise gay marriage, proposed by Liberal Democrat David Leyonhjelm, on Thursday.
Liberal senator Chris Back dismissed as a "furphy" the need for the party room to allow a conscience vote, arguing backbench MPs and senators already enjoyed the freedom to cross the floor and vote against the party.
"I am perfectly free to actually determine my own position," he told reporters in Canberra.
But Senator Leyonhjelm said he had yet to see a Liberal cross the floor during his nine months in parliament.
"I think it's more a matter of theory than practice," he said.
While the senator doesn't expect his private bill will get to a vote on Thursday, he is hopeful the Liberal party room will allow its MPs to exercise their conscience.
"It is an important issue and is not in my opinion a matter for party discipline."
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