Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

Obviously I have hit a raw nerve. He is a Liberal senator. He wears your colours and he has got up in the chamber and made an extreme comment.

This has now become an international affair. I would like to read a quote from the Daily Mail and the Guardian in the UK, where it says:

Labour said his appearance at the event was 'astonishing' and accused the Tories of paying 'lip service' to equality.

…   …   …

A party spokesman said: 'We haven't organised this event and are not in control of who attends.

'We strongly condemn Mr Bernardi's comments which don't reflect David Cameron's or the Conservative party's viewpoint in any way.'

David Cameron was also on the record as saying:

I don't support gay marriage in spite of being a Conservative. I support gay marriage because I am a Conservative.

I would like to finish on a positive point. We have a chance to show leadership. We have a chance to show the world and our voters that we do not discriminate in our law, that everybody is the same under the law and that we value everyone and we value their love that we have for each other. That is a very important message that we need to stay focused on.