TV viewers irate over No ad for same-sex marriage

Television networks are being flooded with complaints about a anti-same-sex marriage advertisement.

A screenshot from the ad.

Television networks are being flooded with complaints about a anti-same-sex marriage advertisement featuring a mother’s claim that her son’s school told him he could wear a dress to class if he wanted.

An advertisement promoting a No vote in the gay marriage postal survey began airing on Tuesday night.

Combined, Nine Network and Sky News have received hundreds of complaints, according to industry insiders, with some taking issue with the decision to run the ad and others claiming the ad contains inaccuracies.

Frankston High School principal John Albiston in Melbourne has since denied the woman’s claim. Both networks will continue to air the ad, with insiders pointing out it does not breach advertising compliance standards.

A spokeswoman for Sky News confirmed the broadcaster had attracted a number of complaints, including requests to remove the ad.

“As a leading news and national affairs channel, Sky News frequently airs public campaign messages across a broad range of political issues,’’ Sky said.

A spokeswoman for Nine declined to comment.

Bill Shorten continued to attack the Coalition for the ad yesterday, describing it as “primitive” and warning it would force gay couples to justify their relationships.

“What does it mean to a same-sex couple and their children when they have got to go to school and they know that the other kids have seen the ads and they are making fun of their parents’ relationship?” the Opposition Leader said.

University of NSW dean of law George Williams also warned the High Court was likely to strike down the Turnbull government’s gay marriage postal ballot.

Marriage equality groups are challenging the legality of the postal survey, arguing it exceeds the government’s power by using the Australian Bureau of Statistics to gather data without any legislation to authorise the $122 million expense.

Professor Williams told the National Press Club in Canberra the government’s defence that spending on the postal survey was authorised because it was “urgent” and “unforeseen” did not stack up.

“Given the long-running debate on same-sex marriage, it is far from obvious that it fits into these categories,” he said. “What about this survey is urgent, except for the fact that it is necessary because of the government’s own political imperatives?”

Education Minister and same-sex marriage supporter Simon Birmingham yesterday rejected arguments as “patently ridiculous” that schools would be forced to teach LGBTI or radical gender theory programs to students.

Australian Christian Lobby managing director Lyle Shelton said legalising same-sex marriage was a “big shift” and cited several overseas examples that he said highlighted the concerns of the mothers in the advertisements.

“Before the law changed in the United Kingdom, Jewish schools weren’t failing their education department inspections because they were refusing to teach children that their gender was fluid,” he said.

An extra 98,000 people were added to the electoral roll between August 8-24 for the postal survey, 65,000 of whom were aged 18-24.

Additional reporting: Rosie Lewis