Bernardi stands by gay marriage claim

SA Liberal senator Cory Bernardi has stood by his comments linking gay marriage to bestiality, saying the reaction to his speech in Parliament was "hysterical". Source: The Advertiser

LIBERAL firebrand Cory Bernardi has reaffirmed his controversial comment linking gay marriage to bestiality, branding the political and media reaction as "hysteria".

But in an exclusive interview, his first since travelling to Britain after being sacked as Tony Abbott's parliamentary secretary a month ago, the South Australian senator accepted he had put his leader in a difficult position.

He said he had therefore decided "to take one for the team".

However, he also said that while he had learnt a lesson from the backlash against his words, he did not resile from their substance.

He claimed there was "integrity" to the argument that if the definition of marriage were broadened to include gays on the grounds of current attitudes, there would also be a case for other changes in the future according to attitudes prevailing then.

"You can bet your bottom dollar there are always going to be demands to redefine it in other ways as well," Senator Bernardi said.

Senator Cory Bernardi's comments debate linking legalising gay marriage to bestiality.

The comments suggest he has no intention of being silenced by opponents across the political divide or critics within his own party, whom he described as part of "this oppressive cult of political correctness" in Australia.

Yesterday he issued another of his regular internet-linked videos under the title "CBTV" or Cory Bernardi TV. In it he aired allegations about Prime Minister Julia Gillard's time as a union lawyer and her links with two shady AWU figures before she entered parliament. 

A strong conservative linked to the Liberals' right faction, Senator Bernardi reserved a particular attack for the Greens, arguing the party was in thrall to extreme views that included those of controversial animal rights philosopher Peter Singer.

"Given that the Greens count him as a founder and that they proposed the same-sex marriage Bill, one I think is entitled to question 'what will be their future demands?' And asking 'where will it all end?' is I think, an important and legitimate question in a house of review," he said.

The outspoken senator was demoted for the second time in what has become a roller-coaster career after he touched off a storm of controversy with the bestiality reference in the Senate on September 18.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott described Liberal senator Cory Bernardi's remarks linking bestiality and gay marriage as 'ill-disciplined'. Picture: Dean Martin

Several prominent figures, including his former leader and current frontbencher Malcolm Turnbull, described the Bernardi bestiality speech as extreme and hysterical.

"That is the worst sort of slippery slope argument," Mr Turnbull said. "They're not the views of mainstream Australian society, let alone of the Liberal Party."

Mr Abbott, who initially drew criticism for appearing to soft-shoe his level of outrage, also condemned the reference to animals as part of the marriage debate.

"I will not tolerate comments that are offensive to people in same-sex relationships," he later said. 

Mr Bernardi denied rumours that pressure was being exerted on him to relinquish his number-one place on the Liberal Party Senate ticket in SA next year, and dismissed as ridiculous speculation about his giving up the cherished spot for floundering SA Liberal leader Isobel Redmond.

Malcolm Turnbull 'dissociates' himself from gay marriage comments made by Liberal senator Cory Bernardi.

He said despite his setback, he would like to return to the front bench in the future but vowed not to be silenced on important issues.

"Modern politics is about twisting and distorting words for political gain and that's what they (his opponents) have done," he said.

"You cop it sweet when you get it wrong, but this is an absurdity when you can't raise I think legitimate points with this sort of hysteria." 

Mr Bernardi said that he had been derided as an extremist over a succession of stances, but that his views had turned out to be mainstream in the end.

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