Former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott says he was headbutted by gay marriage advocate
Abbott was prime minister in 2015 when he committed his conservative government to holding a compulsory vote by all adult Australians to decide whether gay marriage should be legal
A former Australian prime minister who decided two years ago that the people should vote on whether same-sex marriage should be legalised said he was headbutted on Thursday by a gay rights advocate while walking in a city street.
Tony Abbott said he sustained a swollen lip in the attack in Hobart as he walked to his hotel after attending an anti-gay marriage lunch.
The altercation is one of several allegations of violence and vote-rigging that have marred a current postal ballot on whether Australia should lift its prohibition on gay marriage. Australia and Ireland are the only countries to put the divisive issue to the public to decide.
Abbott remains a government lawmaker and is a vocal advocate for the “no” vote. The two-month voting process began last week.
He says: ‘I want to shake your hand.’ I went over to shake his hand then he headbutted me
“A fellow sung out at me – ‘Hey Tony.’ I turned around. There was a chap wearing a ‘vote yes’ badge,” Abbott told Radio 3AW. “He says: ‘I want to shake your hand.’ I went over to shake his hand then he headbutted me.”