One Nation Senator Malcolm Roberts questioned on equal rights for gay Australians
One Nation Senator Malcolm Roberts has ignited fresh controversy after surfacing footage revealed he is “in two minds” about whether gay people deserve equal rights. The comments, made at a conservative Christian conference earlier this year, have drawn swift condemnation from advocacy groups.
The remarks were captured at the “Church and State” conference in June, an event attended by both Roberts and One Nation leader Pauline Hanson. During a forum, the senator was asked by an audience member how Christians should view James Ashby, the party’s openly gay director.
In his response, Roberts praised Ashby’s professional abilities, describing him as “bright, honest, and straight”—before joking, “Well, straight in one way.”
When pushed further on his stance regarding gay rights, the senator referenced the late American bishop and advocate John Shelby Spong, noting that the clergyman had argued that after the historical societal shifts regarding the rights of women and black people, gay people were “next” in the fight for equality.
“Now I’m in two minds about that,” Roberts admitted. “I haven’t got a firm position on it myself, other than I’m not homosexual and I can’t understand it.”
Despite his personal reservations, Roberts conceded that gay individuals hold prominent positions across the arts, science, and politics, adding, “I don’t think we can afford to ban them. So it’s difficult.”
The suggestion that the status of gay people in society could be a matter of “banning” prompted an immediate backlash. Anna Brown, chief executive of Equality Australia, labeled the comments “genuinely shocking.”
“The idea that One Nation or its senators think that this could be an idea that’s on the table, or even a matter of legitimate debate, is incredibly chilling,” Brown said. “It is worth reminding the senator that being gay and a person of deep faith are not mutually exclusive, and neither makes someone any more or less morally sound.”
The surfacing of these comments follows a period of internal and external scrutiny for the party. Earlier this month, MP Barnaby Joyce controversially branded One Nation “one of the gayest parties in Australia” following a failed candidate’s assertion that homosexuality is a mental illness—a claim the conference organizer, Dave Pellowe, also echoed at the same event.
Beyond his views on sexuality, the leaked footage shows Roberts advocating for a blanket abortion ban, a position that stands in direct opposition to that of party leader Pauline Hanson. He also utilized his time at the podium to claim that post-1975 family law reforms, such as “no-fault” divorce, were a deliberate strategy to weaken the family unit and pave the way for “communism.”
The controversy is the latest in a string of instances where the party’s internal rhetoric has clashed with broader public discourse. As the One Nation leadership attempts to maintain a unified front on immigration and social issues, the party remains plagued by internal contradictions.
Neither Senator Roberts, James Ashby, nor the One Nation party responded to requests for comment regarding the remarks.
