Gay rights advocates have invited Queensland Federal Liberal MP, Stuart Robert, to meet same-sex couples and their children after Mr Robert launched a stringing attack on gay parenting during yesterday's debate on the Government's new same-sex entitlements law.
Australian Coalition for Equality spokesperson, Rodney Croome, said that all credible social research indicates children raised by same-sex couples are as well-adjusted as their peers.
"The kind of prejudice expressed by Mr Robert harms the children of same-sex couples by inciting discrimination and bullying against them", Mr Croome said.
"We invite him to to meet some two-mum and two-dad families so he can see for himself that they are as happy and healthy as other families."
Mr Croome said the research cited by Mr Robert to back up his claim that same-sex unions are unstable is outdated and irrelevant to the Australian situation.
"When we look at the civil union schemes which have operated in Tasmania and New Zealand for several years we see that same-sex
partners are more likely to stay together than heterosexual married couples, not less."
Meanwhile, ACE spokesperson, Corey Irlam, has expressed disappointment that newly-appointed Liberal leader, Malcolm Turnbull, did not speak during the three day same-sex entitlements debate which ended this morning.
"We are very disappointed that Mr Turnbull did not seize the opportunity to stamp his social progressive values on this debate, and stand up for his many gay and lesbian constituents."
"Mr Turnbull's silence in the face of discriminatory attitudes from other Liberals like Stuart Roberts, sends out the message that prejudice still heavily influences Opposition policy."
