Tony Abbott says equal marriage will ‘strengthen’ Australia, after years of bitter opposition

After years of apocalyptic predictions about same-sex marriage, Australia’s former PM Tony Abbott has rapidly changed his tune on the issue.

Abbott was one of the most prominent opponents of same-sex marriage in Australia as the country voted on whether gay couples should be allowed to marry.

During the campaign the ex-leader encouraged people to vote No because “children should have both a mother and a father”,  lashing out at “transgender marriage” and “radical gay sex education”.

Sinking to a low point in the campaign, he at one point suggested it would be “best” for his gay sister’s children to be raised by a straight couple.

But the politician, who just weeks ago told anti-LGBT lobbyists that their movement “should continue” beyond the vote, appears to be singing to a different songbook after voters decisively backed equal marriage.

In a speech in Parliament, Abbott said he now believes equal marriage will “strengthen our social fabric” of Australia – just weeks after insisting it would “strain the social fabric” and undermine the traditional family.

He said: “The overwhelming support for same-sex marriage that the plebiscite showed is a sign of the warm acceptance that Australians have for gay people.

“There may indeed be a few homophobic individuals lurking amongst us, but no-one should ever again claim that Australia is a bigoted or intolerant country.

“As the plebiscite abundantly demonstrated, we are as easygoing as any country on Earth, and, whatever your race, your creed, your gender or your sexuality, to be an Australian is well and truly to have won the lottery of life.”