Penny Wong takes aim at Coalition opponents of same-sex marriage, labelling debate “offensive, illogical”

THIS time, it’s personal. Labor’s Penny Wong takes on Coalition MPs for calling her children “not normal”, letting rip in radio interview.

Senate Leader Eric Abetz is dead against gay marriage.

THIS time, it’s personal.

Labor Senator Penny Wong has blasted her Coalition opponents for their “offensive” descriptions of gay marriage and the message they are sending to her children that they were “not normal.”

Ms Wong, who has two daughters with her partner Sophie Allouache and is notoriously private, used a radio interview to hit back at Government opponents of marriage equality, including Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce, who called same-sex marriage “decadent” and unnecessary.

His comments followed those of Liberal Senate leader Eric Abetz, who last week said children of same sex couples were being denied “the best start in life.”

“I find it sad that senior politicians in this country seem to want to tell my children and children of other same-sex couples that somehow they are not normal,” Senator Wong told ABC radio.

“The sense in the community is frankly much more charitable, much more respectful, much more tolerant and much kinder in many ways on this issue than the members of our Parliament.”

She shot at Senator Abetz: “Memo to Eric: we’ve already got children.”

Penny Wong’s daughters Alexandra, left, and Hannah.

“We need to remember how this is heard by many outside of the beltway. I always try to think of young people around Australia who might still be struggling with who they are, might be in the process of coming out or having just come out and how it is for them to hear some of the ways in which those who oppose marriage equality debate this issue. You know, it is not a positive experience.”

As Liberal ranks wrestle internally over a debate on same-sex marriage policy, Senator Abetz went on a media offensive, warning a same-sex vote would open “Pandora’s box” and asking why — if Australia identified as being part of the “Asian century” — political parties weren’t following Asia’s lead and leaving same gay marriage off the table.

“The best start in life for children is with their biological parent, with a mum and dad role model,” Senator Abetz said.

“But why you would deliberately seek to set up a situation where a child would be denied the security of their natural biological parents and the diversity of a male and female role model is something that no one has explained to me,” he said.

Senator Joyce said a multi-party private members’ bill drafted by Liberal MP Warren Entsch and reportedly set to be introduced next month, shouldn’t proceed.

He used an appearance on the ABC’sInsiders program to effectively tell gay couples: “You don’t always get what you want”.

Senate Leader Eric Abetz is dead against gay marriage.