The parties are likely to decide whether to allow MPs, including ministers, a free vote on a private member’s bill.
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A senior Liberal source predicted there would be backlash against the Prime Minister’s leadership because of the joint party room move.
The party is deeply divided over the issue, with the more conservative members of the party vehemently against the legalising of same-sex marriage.
Abbott said the discussion in the Liberal party room had been “brief and spirited” and he had decided to call the snap Coalition meeting after reviewing his pre-election comments on same-sex marriage.
It is also understood the Leader of the House Christopher Pyne disagreed – arguing that only Liberal MPs should be involved in the decision and the move would be seen as “branch stacking” to sway the outcome.
A surprise party room meeting was then announced by government whip Scott Buchholz on behalf of Mr Abbott.
He is due to introduce the bill next Monday.
SkyNews reported there was debate in the party room on Tuesday morning over whether to grant members a conscience vote.
“It is now up to the selection committee to determine when the bill is brought on and the co‐sponsors will await this decision”.
Entsch said he would not dicuss the content of the bill until it was presented to parliament, which was “the appropriate place for debate”.
Mr Entsch told the room he planned to introduce his gay marriage bill and said the party should discuss whether MPs should get a fee vote on the issue.
Abbott has repeatedly said the government had other reforms to focus on and that marriage equality was not a priority, which advocates saw as attempts to delay the issue despite polls consistently showing most Australians now support it.
The Coalition’s current stance is to vote against same-sex marriage, but there is internal pressure to allow a free vote.
Estimates from marriage equality advocates have same-sex marriage less than a handful of votes shy of a majority in the House of Representatives, and with a slim majority in the Senate, if MPs were allowed to vote as they wanted.
Foreign minister Julie Bishop, who was beside Abbott when he spoke at a media conference in Canberra, said, “The prime minister committed this to being a Coalition discussion”.
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The Coalition went to the last election in favour of heterosexual marriage only.
