Media have this week reported that Peter Westmore, the head of the leading Australian Catholic-based lobby group campaigning against same sex marriage in Australia, attended his daughter’s wedding to another woman in New Zealand last November.
The headline for the news item read “Catholic crusader Peter Westmore blesses daughter’s gay marriage in New Zealand.”
Liberal Democrat senator David Leyonhjelm’s Freedom to Marry bill, was scheduled for debate in Australian Federal Parliament on Thursday.
When asked about it Westmore said his daughter’s wedding had his blessing. “She always has my blessing in everything she does.”
Asked if he still supported the his lobby group the National Civic Council‘s (NCC) opposition on same sex marriage he said: “Of course I do.”
Fairfax Media reported that Westmore did not respond when asked about the apparent hypocrisy in his personal and political positions on the issue.
It went on to say that he asked for his family’s privacy to be respected.
The word respect was placed in quotation marks.
When contacted by the media Westmore’s daughter did not return the call.
Australian Marriage Equality national director Rodney Croome said Westmore’s support for his daughter’s wedding was a reminder that marriage equality affected Australian families across the political spectrum.
“Some people will call Mr Westmore hypocritical for opposing marriage equality, but my hope is that, like many other people of faith, he’s on a journey towards supporting it.”
Source
- The Age
- Image: Stuff.co.nz
