IN an extraordinary moment on TV, Kevin Rudd gave a staunch defence of same-sex marriage when challenged by a Pastor on Q & A.
When confronted by a question from New Hope Church pastor Matt Prater, who quoted the Bible as stating it was clearly wrong in the eyes of God, he said: “People don’t choose their sexuality, they are born that way.
“The idea this is somehow an abnormal condition is wrong.”Mr Rudd said homosexuality was not an abnormal condition and the Bible also said “slavery was a natural condition”.
“If you accept it to be natural and normal to be gay then it follows it is not right for two folk who love each other to be denied marriage,” he said.
He said the Bible was about “universal love, loving your fellow man”.
The deeply religious Prime Minister said he had changed his view on the issue after “reflection in good Christian conscience.”
During a frank and at times hostile Q & A session Mr Rudd said he would “trust my future to their (the Australian people) judgment”.
His retort to the Pastor won viewers’ praise on Twitter, with many supporting Mr Rudd including celebrities.
Facing an audience of questions in his hometown of Brisbane the Prime Minister said he had spent many days and nights questioning if he had done the right thing on implementing a new asylum policy to send refugees to Papua New Guinea.
Mr Rudd stopped short of admitting he had lurched to the right on the issue, but said it ultimately was the best policy to deal with a difficult topic.
He appeared to catch himself before he said the word “lurched”.
“Have I wrestled with it night and day – you betcha,” Mr Rudd said.
Mr Rudd was accused by an audience member and former Labor voter of “being almost the same person” as Tony Abbott.
Mr Rudd rolled his eyes and looked awkward at the remark.
The PM was also challenged about better wages for aged care nurses and why the government wasn’t doing more to stop the duopoly of Coles and Woolworths affecting farmers’ incomes.
“I worry about pricing our farm sector out of business,” he said.
“I share your concern and I believe we need to take further action to defend our farm sector.
“I don’t won’t to see them have the power to smash the farming sector to bits.”
When pressed by host Tony Jones what his biggest mistake was Mr Rudd evaded the question saying his latest reincarnation as leader had been too short to admit he had made one.
“You are not looking at captain perfection here,” he said.
“We have one core principal, preserving a fair go for all.”
Margie Macdonald opened the program telling Mr Rudd he had started with vision when he came to government but he had undermined the Gillard government and challenged him to illustrate why Labor voters like her should vote for him again.
Another questioner, Sophie said she shared Labor’s socialist values but said it was now a centre-left party, while a third questioner said he was “bellwether” leader who went with the tide of public opinion who didn’t actually stand for anything.
“We have made mistakes … it’s the nature of political life,” Mr Rudd said.
Mr Rudd said earlier today he would look at reversing welfare reforms that forced single mothers off the single parent payment and onto the dole and was again asked today about the issue.
He said budget pressure was the major hurdle but he wasn’t “comfortable where we are on this”.
“As soon as budget measures allow we will deal with this,” he said.
Author: Ben McClellan & Lanai Scarr
Publication: news.com.au
date: 3 September 2013