Liberal Minister Christopher Pyne says the anti-marriage equality posters that appeared in Melbourne this week are from people with “wicked views”.

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Pyne, who is a supporter of same-sex marriage, was speaking to ABC radio when he made the comment.

The politician said it was important that the debate remain respectful and the best way to deal with the most outrageous parts of the campaign is not to give them an airing.

“There are crazy people out there who do say mad things,” Pyne told ABC radio on Wednesday. “But we also shouldn’t give them an airing.”

“So let’s have a respectful debate but let’s not give an airing to people with wicked views.”

The posters that included false claims about the children of LGBTI people have been traced back to a neo-Nazi group.

The head of the Australian Christian Lobby however has suggested that pro-marriage equality supporters might have been behind the creation of the posters.

Appearing on Network Ten’s The Project Lyle Shelton, the Managing Director of the Australian Christian Lobby and spokesperson for the newly formed Coalition for Marriage, said the posters may have come from marriage equality advocates trying to make a point about the validity of the postal survey process.

Shelton said nobody from his side of the debate could have been responsible for the vile posters telling host Waleed Aly they might have come from the YES side of the marriage equality campaign.

The appearance of the posters as part of the debate over marriage equality have made international headlines. The US based Human Rights Watch has commented on the situation and noted that Australia may not be living up to it’s United Nations commitments as part of the Equal Rights Coalition.

Yesterday Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull condemned the posters but said they were part of living in a democratic society and he supported people’s right to free speech.

“People will often say in any democratic debate, they’ll often say things that are hurtful and unfair and sometimes cruel, that is part of a debate,” Turnbull told radio hosts Em Rusciano and Harley Breen.

OIP Staff

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