Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has given a bizarre, combative interview over a recent push within the Liberal Party for gay conversion therapy, insisting his ABC interviewer state her beliefs about free speech.
Mr Hunt, a Victorian, was being asked about a now-dumped motion that was to be put to the Victorian Liberal Party's state council meeting calling on the state government to ensure better access to "counselling out of same-sex attraction or gender transitioning".
The proposal, which was unlikely to be supported, was pulled from the agenda by state president Michael Kroger following its exposure in Fairfax Media and a subsequent backlash, including from some Liberal MPs.
Asked whether he as health minister was alarmed the motion had made it on to the agenda in the first place, Mr Hunt said he did not support gay conversion therapy, nor would it be federal government policy.
Health Minister Greg Hunt fronts the media in Melbourne on Tuesday.
But he expressed concern about "this constant view that nobody, anywhere, is allowed to have a different view". He told ABC Radio National host Patricia Karvelas: "As a journalist, I would hope that you believe in freedom of speech."
Radio National host Patricia Karvelas
Karvelas said she did but Mr Hunt then asked: "What does freedom of speech mean to you?" That prompted a long exchange in which Mr Hunt defended the right of others to have views he disagreed with, and repeatedly demanded Karvelas explain her views about freedom of speech.
"I've answered your question, now you answer my question," he said. "Will you just once answer a question from me? Your audience is listening, here's your chance. Or are you afraid to stand up for freedom of speech?"
When Karvelas tried to end the interview, Mr Hunt declared it was "disappointing" and accused her of trying to present the questions "as a game" instead of participating in a "real discussion about freedom of speech".
"This was your chance and I hope you run this in full," he said.
"I am going to run it in full - every single word," Karvelas replied.
She then asked whether Mr Kroger's decision to yank the gay conversion therapy motion from the meeting's agenda was akin to stifling freedom of speech in the Liberal Party - at which point Mr Hunt claimed: "I didn't know there was a motion. I have no idea about the background to it."
Karvelas: "How can you not have an idea? Why are you reflecting on it then?"
Mr Hunt: "You asked me a general question, I replied. I asked you a general question, you won't reply."
Mr Hunt then indicated he thought he was no longer being broadcast, lamenting that Karvelas would not comment on her views "while we were on air".
"We're on air right now, I plan to run this," Karvelas said.
"Good," Mr Hunt replied.
The Health Minister then explained he had prepared for an interview on the Greens' proposal to legalise cannabis and that questions about gay conversion therapy were "not flagged". He said he was surprised it had taken an "extraordinary amount of time" to get Karvelas to attest to her support for free speech.
"Pretty interesting exchange there," Karvelas said afterwards.
Michael Koziol is the immigration and legal affairs reporter for the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, based in Parliament House
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