Italian fashion designers Dolce and Gabbana have been drawn into the Australian debate on same-sex marriage, after a senior minister was quoted as using them to justify his opposition to changing the law.

Coalition Senate leader Eric Abetz has denied a Fairfax report that he pointed to the example of the pair, who used to be a couple, to argue that same-sex couples should not worry about tying the knot.

Senator Abetz, who has previously argued that Australia should not legalise gay marriage because to do so would be out of step with attitudes in Asian countries, has denied the report.

He said it was "false" to suggest he said that "gay men did not want to get married".

Senator Abetz, who is opposed to changing the law, said his position was that not all members of the gay community "have the same view" on the question.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten referred to the anecdotal report repeatedly this morning.

"Senator Eric Abetz is a clown," he said.

"That shows you how out of touch Mr Abbott's Liberals are.

"I am staggered you have got the most senior, or the second most senior Liberal in the Senate coming up with those sort of half-baked arguments."

Earlier this year an Italian magazine carried an interview in which Domenico Dolce was quoted as saying: "You are born and you have a father and a mother""

"Or at least it should be like this, that's why I am not convinced by chemical children, synthetic babies, wombs for rent."

That earned him a rebuke from British singer Elton John, who said "your archaic thinking is out of step with the times, just like your fashions".