The Australian Marriage Forum, an anti-marriage equality group, last night launched a new fearmongering TV commercial as hundreds of LGBTI people and their allies turned out to celebrate the annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade.

The 42-second ‘Think of the child’ advertisement, which was aired on channels 7 and 9 on Saturday night, declares that allowing same-sex couples to marry will ‘force a child to miss out on a mother or a father.’

‘We hear a lot about marriage equality, but what about equality for kids?’

‘Children have an equal right, whenever possible, to both a mum and a dad.’

It also shows President of the Australian Marriage Forum Dr David van Gend, who is just billed as a ‘family doctor’ in the commerical saying, ‘So-called marriage equality forces a child to miss out on a mother or a father.’

‘That’s not equality for the kids who miss out. That’s not marriage.’

Rodney Croome, national director of Australian Marriage Equality, says in a statement that the Australian Marriage Forum campaign is in fact ‘harming the many Australian children being raised by same-sex couples because it defends discrimination against their families.’

‘According to the Bureau of Statistics tens of thousands of Australian children are currently in the care of same-sex couples, and these children deserve the same opportunities as other children, including the opportunity of having married parents.’

He added that the advertisement’s timing highlights how ‘out of place’ anti-gay prejudice is in Australia’s ‘increasingly inclusive and respectful society.’

‘If this campaign has any impact at all, its obvious prejudice and fearmongering will actually increase support for marriage equality,’ said Croome who expects the advertisement to backfire.

At press time, the video has received 1960 ‘dislikes’ compared to just 190 ‘likes’ on YouTube.

State and federal Australian governments currently recognize same-sex couples as parents. Same-sex couples can access IVF, adoption and surrogacy in most states.

According to Same-same, SBS had refused to show the advertisement during last night’s broadcast of Sydney Mardi Gras Parade highlights.

‘We choose not to run this TVC for the Marriage Forum during the Mardi Gras telecast,’ SBS management reportedly told the Australian Marriage Forum.