SOUTH Australian Senator Cory Bernardi is embroiled in a fresh row over his views on gay marriage and bestiality as a new poll found his comments had provoked a voter backlash.
The Liberal senator resigned from the Coalition’s front bench last year after outrage he caused by saying legalising same-sex marriage was part of an agenda that would open the way to legalising bestiality and polygamy.
Today he reignited the controversy, saying that a Polyamory Action Lobby petition for “nothing less than the full recognition of polyamorous families” proved his point and that bestiality was an “extreme example” but one “linked to the radical agenda of the Greens Party”.
A recent Lonergan Research poll of almost 1700 people obtained by The Advertiser found that his original comments on bestiality may work against the Liberal Party in September’s election.
The poll found 72 per cent of voters felt that his statements “made them less likely to vote for the Liberal Party”. The remainder picked the only other choice, and said they were more likely to vote Liberal.
Analysis: Bernardi’s worst fears realised – 25 people want polygamy
SA Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young – who will introduce legislation to recognise international same-sex marriage in Australia on Thursday – said his comments were “ignorant hate speech”.
“Linking the love that thousands of Australian couples share to bestiality is disgraceful,” she said.
“Cory Bernardi is the voice of the Liberal Party in SA as their lead Senate candidate. South Australians will be shaking their heads today and many will be having a second thought about voting Liberal.”
Senator Bernardi told The Advertiser it was “not hate speech”, but factual.
“I said if we redefine the word there will always be calls for more (changes),” he said.
“It’s not about linking gay marriage to any other thing, it’s this progression of the Greens agenda … it doesn’t stop with a single demand.”
In Parliament earlier this year Senator Bernardi said Polyamory Action Lobby was associated with the Greens, and that there were people in the movement who were disappointed that the Greens policy for “marriage equality” did not include them.
A third SA Senator, Labor’s Finance Minister Penny Wong, called Senator Bernardi’s arguments a “pathetic attempt to argue against the principle of equality” and an “attempt to drum up fear and prejudice”.
Opposition frontbencher Malcolm Turnbull said his comments on bestiality were “very extreme and extremely offensive”.
Australian Marriage Equality spokesman Rodney Croome also said Senator Bernardi’s comments were offensive.
“Not one country that has allowed same-sex marriage has moved to legitimise polygamy or bestiality – for the simple reason they’re not linked, legally, socially, or culturally,” he said.
Author:Tory Shepherd
Publications: adelaidenow
Date: 18 June 2013