Prime Minister Scott Morrison has ruled out removing a Liberal party candidate who previously linked same-sex marriage and pedophilia.
Last week the Prime Minister chastised Labor when they resisted removing a candidate who had made a number of offensive social media posts.
“The standard you walk by is the standard you accept,” the Prime Minister said when attacking then Labor candidate Luke Creasey. “The issue is not whether he’s contrite, it’s whether that’s a standard that Bill Shorten is prepared to accept.”
Today Morrison was asked if he ‘walking by’ Gurpal Singh, the Liberals candidate for the Victorian division of Scullin. In 2017 the aspiring MP linked the marriage equality vote and pedophilia.
While campaigning against same-sex marriage Singh outlined his opposition to LGBTIQ people being able to adopt or access surrogacy. In an interview with SBS radio he said he was also concerned about pedophilia.
“I think it is also an issue of paedophilia,” Mr Singh told SBS Radio. “In these situations, the occurrence can be high.”
The Prime Minister said the party had already dealt with the issue of Singh’s comments. Asked to clarify how they had been dealt with, Morrison said Singh’s candidacy had been allowed to continue.
The Prime Minister said he did not accept the proposal that because Singh remained a candidate he was endorsing his views. SInce the interview was highlighted Singh has retracted his comments.
Last week the Liberal candidate Peter Killin resigned after a series of homophobic remarks he had made came to light.
OIP Staff
