Prime Minister Scott Morrison has told Melbourne radio station 3AW that he loves gay people, but he wouldn’t commit to supporting legislation to outlaw gay conversion therapy.
Speaking to Neil Mitchell the Prime Minister said people should be free to make their own choices but he had no plans to engage with the issue of gay conversion therapy despite having just received a petition with 43,000 signatures.
The Prime Minister said people’s choices about sexuality should be respected, and inferred that people should also be free to choose to engage with any service as long as they were not breaking the law.
“Gay conversion, does it work?” Mitchell asked the PM.
“I’ve never really thought about it to be honest.” Morrison responded. “It’s not an issue I have focused on at all.”
Highlighting that he’d just received a petition with close to 43,000 signatures calling for laws to be brought it to ban the practice, Mitchell asked the Prime Minister what his response was.
“Oh well, people should abide by the law.” Morrison said. “and if anybody is not abiding by the law then they should abide by the law. Was anybody suggesting it was illegal?”
Mitchell responded that there was no law against the practice.
“If people aren’t breaking the law then it’s a matter for them” Morrison said.
The Prime Minister was asked if he believed you could change your sexuality.
“Mate I respect people of all sexuality. I respect people of all religions, all faiths. I love all Australians, and what I sometimes get frustrated by is when people say they love Australia but they don’t seem to like Australians very much.”
Mitchell said the Prime Minister may claim to love all Australians but he had also been a vocal opponent of marriage equality.
“What’s the got to do with me loving all Australians?” the Prime Minister fired back. Pushed for his position on the issue the Prime Minister said people should make their own choices.
“Neil, I think people should make their own choices about their own lives and that’s always been my view. I’ve never been involved in anything like that. I’ve never supported anything like that. Mate, it’s just not an issue for me, and I’m not planning on getting engaged in the issue.
“People should abide by the law and people should respect other people’s choices, faith, sexuality, lifestyle, their own choices. I’m a Liberal so I’m pro-people having the right to make their own decisions about their lives.” Morrison said.
OIP Staff
