An Australian prime minister has finally endorsed marriage equality, but unfortunately not the current one.

Bob Hawke has become the first former or serving Australian prime minister to support same-sex marriage during a public appearance with fellow ex-PM John Howard.

‘I’m very mich in favor of the law being changed to enable marriage between gay people,’ said Hawke, the Labor prime minister of Australia from 1983 to 1991, ABC News reported.

‘I feel very deeply on all issues of discrimination, and in this area of sexual discrimination it just needs to be said straight-forwardly – you can be born with curly hair, you can be born with this gene-disposition towards homosexuality.

‘If a person is that way and they want to have the rights of the institutions of our society, they should have them.’

When Ray Martin, the interviewer at the charity fundraiser, asked staunch conservative Howard if he’d changed his mind about gay marriage like President Obama, the former PM was adamant that he had not.

‘He’s not a bad bloke, but he’s a real bloody conservative,’ added Hawke.

Marriage equality advocates welcomed Hawke’s support.

‘The majority of Labor members and voters who support marriage equality have found a voice and a champion in Bob Hawke,’ said Australian Marriage Equality national convener Rodney Croome.



‘His unequivocal support for marriage equality will deepen disappointment over our current Labor prime minister, Julia Gillard, who inexplicably continues to oppose equality.’

Gillard, an atheist who lives with her partner Tim Matheison unmarried, has remained mysteriously opposed to same-sex marriage.

The current prime minister told gay marriage campaigners in June that her relationship proved you don’t need marriage to have commitment. Her comments angered campaigners who pointed out that she could chose to not to marry, but gay people could not.

In July, former prime minister Kevin Rudd prompted rumours that Gillard’s opposition to gay marriage stemmed from a deal with the Christian right of her party who supported her successful leadership challenge. Rudd later denied the allegation.