Australian MP: Same-Sex Marriage Is 'Decadent' and Could Harm Asian Trade Relations

Australian Federal Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce is in hot water after remarking that same-sex marriage would make the country appear "decadent" and could harm trade relations with Asian counties.

Legislation to allow same-sex marriages is expected to be introduced next month when Parliament reconvenes. Joyce's remarks came when he was asked about comments made by Eric Abetz, the Leader of the Government in the Senate. Abetz opposes marriage equality.

Abetz said that this was the "Asian century" for Australia and since the majority of Asian countries don't accept marriage equality, Australia shouldn't either. Joyce was asked his opinion of the senator's remarks on the Australian Broadcast Company's "Insiders" television program.

"Eric is right in saying where we live economically is south east Asia, that's where our cattle go," Mr Joyce told the show's host, Barry Cassidy. "When we go there, there are judgments whether you like it or not that are made about us. They see us as decadent."

Cassidy followed up, asking Joyce "So would they see us embracing gay marriage as decadence?"

"I think that in some instances they would, yeah," Joyce said.

Joyce went on to express his disapproval of marriage equality. "I don't think if you go and pass a piece of legislation and say a diamond is a square makes diamonds squares -- they're two different things," he said. "It's not making a value judgement about either."

"I think that every child has a right, absolute right to know her or his mother and father and also ... should be given the greatest opportunity to know their biological mother and father," he told the program's host.

Liberal MP Warren Entsch's bill will be introduced with cross-party sponsorship by MP Teresa Gambaro. Meanwhile, center-right Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who has been the Leader of the Liberal Party since 2009, campaigned on a promise to allow members of Parliament to vote their conscience on the matter but has expressed doubt that the bill will be debated at all. "It's quite unusual for private member's bills to come on for debate and vote in the Parliament," he said last week.