Updated June 27, 2017 11:37:43

Photo: Mr Pyne reignited debate after telling a Liberal Party function there would be same-sex marriage. (ABC News: Adam Kennedy)

It is a game of snakes and ladders for the Liberals hoping to change the law to allow same-sex marriage.

A group of federal Liberals have been working on a plan to legalise same-sex marriage in Parliament instead of having a national vote or plebiscite.

But each time public debate flares on the topic, the same-sex marriage advocates hit a "snake" on the board game and their campaign slides backwards.

Supporters of legalising gay marriage had an escalator ride up the first ladder — because the Coalition Government's majority in the Lower House is so slim that just a small group crossing the floor would mean a private members bill could be voted on and eventually passed.

The next ladder was scaled fairly easily when the Senate rejected a bill for a plebiscite last year and same-sex marriage proponents saw that as creating a real chance for the parliamentary option succeeding.

But they struck a serpent in February when Fairfax newspapers reported: "Government MPs working to bring same-sex marriage policy to a head over next fortnight."

Should we cut politicians some slack for things they say after they've had a few drinks? Barnaby Joyce thinks so.

Reports about Liberals including Dean Smith, Tim Wilson and Trent Zimmerman collaborating on the push for a free vote in Parliament unleashed a backlash that effectively saw them slide back down the board.

But the game rolled on and they advanced a few more squares until Cabinet Minister Christopher Pyne's leaked comments from Friday night created another snake.

Mr Pyne was recorded at a Liberal Party function saying there would be same-sex marriage.

"We're going to get it, I think it might even be sooner than everyone thinks," the leaked recording of his speech shows.

"And your friends in Canberra are working on that outcome."

That has prompted a new round of headlines about the plan to legalise same-sex marriage as soon as August.

And again each time the topic emerges publicly, senior Government figures endorse the Coalition's policy for a plebiscite.

'Stick to the plebiscite', ministers urge

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has reinforced the plebiscite policy, describing it as the "greatest conscience vote that you can have".

"You go to the ballot box where myself as a politician has no more rights than you as a citizen," Mr Joyce said.

The same-sex marriage plebiscite was blocked in the Senate — as expected — but the debate is far from over.

"We all have one vote. It is completely and utterly a conscience vote. You can vote any way you like and so can I and at the end of the day, we can work out which way the Australian people want to go and that's the direction we go."

And the most venomous viper that wrecks the board game for pro same-sex marriage MPs is that the issue exposes such deep divisions in the Government.

This morning, conservative Tasmanian senator Eric Abetz rebuked Mr Pyne and others backing same-sex marriage to stick to the plebiscite policy.

"I would just encourage them to reflect on the integrity of their position and within the party as to their approach on this matter," Senator Abetz told RN.

"I call on my colleagues, especially cabinet ministers, to ensure that they faithfully support that which cabinet supports, that which the party room supports, that which we took to the election just a matter of one year ago."

Topics: sexuality, community-and-society, government-and-politics, federal-government, marriage, australia

First posted June 27, 2017 09:22:45