Marriage Equality found a somewhat unlikely champion this morning, with Jeff Kennett announcing his support during an interview on Melbourne’s 3AW radio station. The former Victorian premier and current chairperson of Beyond Blue has been criticised in the past for homophobic public comments, however he told announcer Neil Mitchell,

‘As long as you don’t break a law against me, why should I allow sexuality to prevent you from living your life as you want to’, Mr Kennett said.

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‘If people are living a happier life in a gay relationship which ends up in marriage, then why would I in any way want to prevent it…I want people to be happy…I’m in favour of it.’

‘It goes against the tenets I was brought up with…but I think there’s something more important…I think it’s happiness…I think it’s the quality of life that we lead…I don’t oppose gay marriage.’.

Alex Greenwich from Australian Marriage Equality applauded the comments, and argued that it would put pressure on the federal Coalition over their opposition to bills allowing same-sex couples to marry;

‘Mr Kennett joins a growing number of senior Coalition figures who support marriage equality, increasing pressure on Tony Abbott to allow a genuine free vote for all MPs and Senators’, Mr Greenwich said.

‘Clearly, for Mr Kennett this issue is about people not politics and it should be for Mr Abbott as well.’

Listen to Kennett’s complete interview here