Liberal leader Zak Kirkup has stepped in and stopped Victoria Park candidate Amanda-Sue Markham from answering questions about her views on homosexuality.
At a media call this morning Channel Nine reporter Jacqueline Robson asked Markham about her husband’s publicly shared views on homosexuality, but before she could respond the leader stepped in and stopped her from answering.
“I think that it’s important we continue to talk about the critical strategic and manufacturing fund we’ve announced here today,” Kirkup said, deflecting the question.
Pressed by Robson on why Markham was not being allowed to answer the question herself, Kirkup said questions about candidates spouses had been answered in the past, and he believed she was an excellent candidate for the Liberal party.
Markham is married to Pastor Campbell Markham who has written and spoken extensively about his views on homosexuality, and marriage.
In his 2015 Who Should I Marry? – Campbell Markham wrote that a Christian man would only marry a woman who would submit to her husband.
On his website he has published articles saying that homosexual people can be “cleansed” and that they “lead a dangerous lifestyle.”
Pastor Markham has also written that people who watch pornography will go to hell.
Former Premier Colin Barnett has shared his thoughts on the situation. Calling in to radio station 6PR Barnett said politicians and candidates should be accountable for their views and statements but questions about their spouses should be off limits unless they were actively involved in campaigning.
It’s not the first time Amanda-Sue Markham has been asked about her husband’s views. She ran as a candidate for the Liberal party in the 2016 federal election standing for the seat of Franklin.
On that occasion questions were raised about her claims on election materials that she worked as an intensive care nurse. While Markham had a background in nursing,, it was revealed for the two years prior to the election she had been working as a Liberal staffer.
She was also asked about whether she shared her husband’s views back in 2016. On that occasions she also declined to answer any questions on the topic.
Prior to joining the Liberal party in 2012 Markham had previously been a Western Australian candidate for Fred Nile’s Christian Democrats party.
Earlier this week Kirkup asked the party’s candidate for the seat of Baldivis to step down. Andrea Tokaji had written articles for an online news site sharing her views that COVID-19 was a conspiracy linked to 5G phone systems.
OIP Staff. OUTinPerth has approached both Zak Kirkup and Amanda-Sue Markham for comment.
Love OUTinPerth Campaign
Help support the publication of OUTinPerth by contributing to our
GoFundMe campaign.
