The cost of the same-sex marriage plebiscite could be $15 million higher than the estimated $160 million if the Turnbull government decides to spend taxpayers' money on the "yes" and "no" campaigns.
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Attorney-General George Brandis is preparing a cabinet submission on the mechanics of the plebiscite, which will include a recommendation on whether or not the cases for and against changing the definition of marriage should be publicly funded.
The Australian Christian Lobby, which opposes a change to the definition of marriage, says both the "yes" and "no" campaigns require public funding.
"There's definitely an expectation that there would be public funding of equal amounts," the managing director of the Australian Christian Lobby, Lyle Shelton, told Fairfax Media on Monday.
Mr Shelton said the amount should be the same, adjusted to today's dollars, as was awarded to the "yes" and "no" campaigns for the 1999 referendum on the republic.
"This is a bigger decision than the republic because it's redefining marriage and families . . . This is bigger decision than merely a ceremonial head of state," Mr Shelton said.
In the 1999 republican referendum, the federal government gave $7.5 million to each campaign as well as $4.5 million for a neutral public information booklet about the referendum.
The main organisation advocating for change on same-sex marriage, Australian Marriage Equality, said it does not want public funds to be spent on the campaigns.
"$160 million is expensive enough. We do not need to add to the cost of the plebiscite," the organisation's chair, Alex Greenwich, said.
"I don't think you need public funding for Australians to be able to have a conversation about marriage equality. There are obviously various stakeholders on this and I don't think that needs to be fuelled by public cash."
The Australian Electoral Commission estimates it would cost $158.4 million to run the plebiscite - more than the $139.6 million cost of the 2013 federal election.
The estimate provided by the commission includes an information pamphlet that would be distributed to voters containing the reasons for and against the proposed change.
But it does not include the cost of running each side of the campaign.
A poll released last week found less than half of Australians want a plebiscite on same-sex marriage with support for a national vote plummeting once voters are aware that the government's proposal will cost $160 million but not compel members of Parliament to respect the result.
Victorian Premier Dan Andrews wrote to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Monday asking him to abandon the plebiscite and instead grant Coalition MPs a conscience vote on same-sex marriage legislation.
"This plebiscite will hurt people. It will legitimise a hateful debate which will subject LGBTI Australians to publicly-funded slurs and denigration, further alienating a proud community who have fought so hard against prejudice for so long," Mr Andrews wrote.
Attorney-General George Brandis said on Sunday the "only way" the issue of same-sex marriage would be dealt with in the next term of Parliament was through the plebiscite.
