You are dealing in half truths. The Liberals have whips just like every party and they are meant to follow the whips directions. Conscience votes are the prerogative of the leader, they are not the norm, and arise to cover an issue on which the party is undecided.
The difference between Labor and Libs is that when a Lib denies the whips and crosses the floor they are not expelled from the party or denied pre-selection for the next election. The most that happens to them is that they are have a mark against them, so to speak, and depending on their status in the party this may be nothing of consequence.
Labor members can express views against a policy, like Crean is doing now, but they dare not defy the whips and cross the floor. That would mean the end of their political career, sooner or later. There is no way Crean would cross the floor - no way.
Just check any reference site to see how few Labor members have crossed the floor and what happened to them. Compare that to the Libs. Even Turnbull crossed the floor recently.
Re gay rights - Abbott argues that as the Libs have an existing defined position they don't require a conscience vote. You may say that that shouldn't matter - but who has the most dishonest public position on this question - Abbott or PM Gillard?
