A gay student in Australia has made a splash fighting against same-sex marriage, claiming it will “destroy everything that is good about Australia”.

Wilson, a student at Queensland University, was filmed speaking at an anti-gay marriage rally as the country holds a public vote on whether to allow gay people to marry.

Speaking as part of the group ‘Our Voice Our Vote’, Wilson explained that as a “gay conservative” he opposes giving gay people the right to marry.

He said: “We’re here today because we support marriage as it always has been, between one man and one woman.

“I am here specifically because I am a gay man. I am a gay conservative who wants to see marriage the way it is.”

Responding to heckles from crowd members speaking up in support of same-sex marriage, he insisted: “They want to drown us out.

“They want to speak for me, because I’m gay, but I’m standing up against them.

“There are thousands of gay people in this country who are against same-sex marriage, who see the effects it will have on the family, on schools, on politics and on churches.”

As heckling continued, Wilson claimed: “These people hate us. They call us Nazis, bigots, homophobes. They’re the real haters.

“They cannot call me a homophobe. They’re trying to shut us down.”

He added: “They’re people who want to destroy everything that is good about Australia, people who want to destroy everything I love about Australia”

“They want to introduce radical gender ideology into schools. They hate me more because I’m able to support what marriage is and I’m gay.”

His story was promptly shared by the country’s former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, a strong opponent of LGBT rights who has led the campaign against equal marriage.

Mr Abbott said: “So far it’s supporters of change, not opponents, who are responsible for bullying and hate speech.”

Despite purporting to speak for gay people who oppose same-sex marriage, the ‘One Voice One Vote’ group appeared to be unable to find any other gay people who oppose same-sex marriage.

On its Facebook page the group appeared to admit Wilson was its only gay member.

They wrote: “One young gay man has braved his fellow students on campus coming out saying he was voting no…and there are lots more like him in our LGBTQI community who remain too afraid to do so.

“It’s vital that we stop the bullying and gagging of gay persons choosing to support not redefining marriage in Australia!”

The group has also shared links to post by gay Trump supporter Milo Yiannopoulos, who has previously said he would ‘cure’ himself of being gay if he could.

Elsewhere in Australia this week, the anti-gay movement took to the skies in a bid to oppose equal marriage.

Related: What the hell is going on with same-sex marriage in Australia?