Australian Conservatives leader won’t concede defeat and says political correctness forcing people to hide how they voted

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Cory Bernardi does not accept there will be an overwhelming “yes” vote in the same-sex marriage postal survey, with more than 70% of forms returned.

The Australian Conservatives leader said he believed people were pressured by political correctness and were saying they voted “yes”, even if they had voted “no”.

“I’m not even conceding defeat quite frankly,” Bernardi told Sky News on Sunday. “I think there are a great many people who are deeply concerned about the potential consequences of changing the marriage act.”

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Bernardi also said he was “deeply concerned” Victoria’s euthanasia laws would have negative consequences right across the country.

He said he understood people’s emotional attachment to making the decision to end their own life but when a government endorses such action it is taking a “one-way street”.

“It will have massive, long-term changes which are being experienced everywhere in the world,” Bernardi said. “In places like the Netherlands, for example, children can request euthanasia under certain circumstances ... It truly is a slippery slope.”

The Victorian federal government MP Tim Wilson said he would oppose any attempt by the commonwealth to override state law.

“We’re a sovereign state,” Wilson told ABC. “The state parliament is entitled to make the decisions on these matters.”

The former human rights commissioner said he had mixed views about the new laws but gave broad approval for safeguards in the bill, which passed on Friday.

“I have always had the view that people should be able to take control of their lives,” Wilson said. “When people are in a situation where they’re terminally ill and not in a position to change those circumstances, we have to respect the fact that people may want to end it in a way there is proportionate, measured and sensible.

“But there need to be very strong safeguards.”