Supermarket giant Woolworths has restated its commitment to supporting marriage equality after former its former CEO compared his opposition to marriage equality to racial differences.

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Former Woolworth’s boss Roger Corbert gave a bizarre interview to the ABC’s 7:30 program on Monday night where he explained his opposition to allowing same-sex couples to wed by saying white men were equal but different to black men.

Corbert said he had many gay friends who he liked very much, but marriage had been strictly between a man and a woman for many generations of society.

The business leader said people who had “other sexual inclinations in their life” had a perfect right to unions that are exactly equal, and should be treated exactly equally in the community.

Corbert said he was opposed to same sex couples relationships being described by the world marriage.

“Let’s call marriage – marriage, and find an appropriate word for other types of relationships.” Corbert said.

Corbert told host Leigh Sales that marriage was based on Judaeo-Christian concepts and was formed around the concept of a man and a woman creating children.

“Marriage is really a union to provide an environment which children can be conceived, born and brought up.”

Corbert said gay people who didn’t have the inclination to have a family should be able to have a union of their own, that should have equal status and equal recognition in society.

The businessman said he thought it was inappropriate for corporations to voice a position on the issue of marriage equality, because not all employees of a company would agree on the position. Corbert said companies should only voice support on social issues where there was a clear moral argument.

Explaining his thinking he said, “If it was for slavery, I think that would be totally appropriate, but here in the community, there is a norm of marriage in our community which is between a man and a woman.”

“A man and a man, and a woman and a woman, can have a similar relationship – but its different.” Corbert said. “A black man and a white man are equal, but they’re clearly different. A black man will never be a white man, and vice versa.”

Corbert said people had to accept that gay relationships, while equal, were also different.

“You can’t say everyone will be white, or everyone will be black.”

Following the comments Supermarket giant Woolworths responded by releasing a statement saying they embraced diversity and continued to support marriage equality.

OIP Staff