Cory Bernardi, the leader of One Nation in South Australia, has doubled down “100 per cent” on comments he made in a 2012 speech where he linked same-sex marriage to bestiality.
The former Liberal Senator, who is back on the campaign trail ahead of South Australia’s state election on March 21, now leads One Nation’s Legislative Council ticket.
However, comments Bernardi made nearly 14 years ago have since come back to haunt him, with widespread backlash for his linking of same-sex marriage to bestiality and polygamy.
“The next step, quite frankly, is having three people or four people that love each other being able to enter into a permanent union endorsed by society, or any other type of relationship,” Bernardi said.
“There are even some creepy people out there … [who] say it is okay to have consensual sexual relations between humans and animals.”
Bernardi’s speech, which was shortly followed by his resignation from a parliamentary role, was even criticised by Liberal Prime Ministers Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull, who branded them “repugnant” and “hysterical”.
Now in 2026, with Cory Bernardi back on the campaign trail for One Nation this weekend, the politician has doubled down on his obnoxious comments, saying he stands by the speech, adding that Australia has undergone a “degenerative cultural decline” due to the “influence” of the “filthy left” since Australians voted in favour of marriage equality.
“I own what I said. My position has not changed in 14 years,” he said on Saturday.
“I’m not for changing. I think protecting and defending our culture is important.”
He also told the ABC, that he stands by the comments “100 per cent. I’m not apologising or retracting anything that I’ve said.”
“If you have a look at the redefinition of the Marriage Act, what’s happened since then, we’ve gone down a complete spectrum, which was entirely denied would ever happen.”
