Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young has criticised One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts following recently surfaced comments in which he appeared to question whether gay people should enjoy the same rights as heterosexual people.
Senator Roberts told the Church and State conference earlier this year that he was undecided on whether gay people deserve equal rights to heterosexual people. During his remarks, he noted that there were many prominent people across the arts, sport, science, business and politics who are homosexual.
“I don’t think we can afford to ban them. So it’s difficult.”
Asked by reporters on Wednesday about Roberts’ comments, the Greens senator gave a blunt response.
“No one should be in two minds about that … that every Australian is equal. And I question Malcolm Roberts. He says he’s in two minds about this. Well, I wonder whether he’s even got one.”
The comments attributed to Senator Roberts follow remarks from colleague Barnaby Joyce, who previously described One Nation as “the gayest party” in Australian politics.
Joyce made the statement after Parminder Singh, a former Western Australian candidate who remains a member of the party, gave an interview in which he described LGBTIQA+ people as “mentally ill”.
Following Joyce’s interview, One Nation leader Pauline Hanson said she was no longer opposed to marriage equality, but added that she did not like the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.
