Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has promised to introduce a bill to legalise gay marriage within 100 days if re-elected, describing it as a ‘‘mark of decency to same-sex couples’’. This week, when asked by a Christian pastor how he could support gay marriage “if you call yourself a Christian”, he responded: “Well, mate, if I was going to have that view, the Bible also says that slavery is a natural condition because Saint Paul said in the New Testament, ‘slaves be obedient to your masters’. [People] are gay if they are born gay…The idea that this is somehow an abnormal condition is just wrong. I don’t get that.”
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said it was ‘‘an important issue’’ but would not commit to a conscience vote. He said same-sex marriage would not be a priority for a Coalition government. “If this issue were to come up again in the future, it would be a matter for a future party room to determine,” he said.
