Same-sex attracted Liberal councillor Christine Forster, who is also the sister of Prime Minister Tony Abbott, will join Greens Party MP Adam Bandt, Greens leader Christine Milne and Labour's Tanya Plibersek, among others, in a fundraiser for marriage equality.
The organisation behind the campaign, Australian Marriage Equality (AME), is hoping that the politicians will be able to help raise a A$50,000 sum by auctioning of guest seats at lunch tables around the country at which they will be present.
In regard to its goal of legalising same-sex marriage in Australia, AME's national director, Rodney Croome, explained the pressing nature of the fundraiser to the gay press on Thursday: "Achieving our $50,000 target over the next week is crucial if AME is to successfully campaign into 2015".
According to Mr Croome, who has received information from "political insiders", 2015 is a significant year for the ongoing process of securing marriage equality in Australia, so the AMC wants to ensure that it can make an impact in the political epicentre that is Canberra.
The history leading up to AMC's "Make Marriage Equality Pozible" campaign, launched in late November 2014 on the Pozible crowdfunding platform, is a prominent one for the PM's sister. In August 2013, both Ms Forster and Mr Croome spoke to the ABC after a bill failed to get through parliament in September 2012, with the Sydney councillor saying that Mr Abbott's view was gradually "shifting".
Just over two months later, Ms Forster became engaged to her long-term partner and told the Sydney Morning Herald that their ability to legally marry would happen "sooner rather than later".
Ms Forster has appeared in the media throughout 2014, starting with her participation in the Victorian Pride March in February, at which she praised the "community, diversity and equality" displayed by the 30,000 attendees. A painting of Ms Forster nakedly embracing her fiance was then entered for the Archibald Prize by Robyn Ross in June, who called it a depiction of "two people in love".
While Ms Forster did not reveal any sibling-related details after Ms Ross' entry was shown in the media, she said in an interview that her brother's view on gay marriage is "unlikely to change"—it appeared that the "shifting" Mr Abbott of 2013 had moved backward.
Mr Croome said on Thursday, "I have no doubt many supporters of marriage equality will relish an opportunity to meet some of our key political leaders up close", in regard to the lunch fundraiser, and it appears that his prediction has a basis, as the Pozible campaign had raised 93 per cent of its target by the end of business on Friday, with $46,664 pledged. Prospective supporters have only four days left to donate, as the deadline is the morning of Christmas eve.