Katter’s Australian Party shows true colours
Two candidates for Bob Katter鈥檚 Australian Party (KAP) have likened gay and lesbian people to paedophiles, with one saying he’d go as far as refusing to let a gay person teach his children.
Tess Corbett from Lake Bolac is running for KAP against Liberal MP Dan Tehan in the federal seat of Wannon in South West Victoria.
She told the Hamilton Spectator she considered gay people to be in the same category as paedophiles.
鈥淧aedophiles will be next in line to be recognised in the聽same way as gays and lesbians and get rights,鈥� she said.
The Spectator also questioned the Wannon candidate about the debate surrounding the proposed anti-discrimination laws and religious exemptions.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 want gays, lesbians to be working my kindergarten. If you don鈥檛 like it go to another kindergarten,” she said.
In response, Federal Finance Minister Penny Wong tweeted 鈥淩e Tess Corbett. Bigotry is not morality. And it has no place in today鈥檚 Australia”.
On Wednesday night, Corbett was backed by KAP’s Queensland Senate candidate Bernard Gaynor (pictured), who tweeted 鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 let a gay person teach my children and I am not afraid to say it.鈥�
鈥淚f we value free speech and democracy then we would respect the right of Christians to hold their views about right and wrong. And as a Christian, the homosexual lifestyle is immoral,鈥� Gaynor told the Courier Mail.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think Bob would have a problem with me saying this. As a parent, we should have the discretion over who teaches our children.鈥�
The views of both candidates have received bipartisan opposition.
Victoria鈥檚 Energy and Resources Minister, Liberal MP Michael O鈥橞rien also responded via twitter 鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 let @bernardgaynor teach my children and I am not afraid to say it #auspol鈥�
Katter has said he would like to run a candidate in every seat ahead of this year鈥檚 federal election.
When asked for a response to Corbett鈥檚 comments, he told Fairfax Media he 鈥渄idn鈥檛 talk about those things鈥�.
Katter last year admitted that he regretted running controversial .
KAP copped a serious backlash during the election campaign after running the TV commercial, which used an image of two gay men as part an attack ad against now Premier Campbell Newman.
During a forum with former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd last year, Katter said he would regret airing the commercials 鈥渇or the rest of my days鈥�.
