A conservative, catholic politician has revealed how his lesbian daughter helped him change his traditional view on same-sex marriage.
Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, Queensland Liberal MP Andrew Wallace said he was shocked when his daughter Caroline, 22, told him she was dating a woman, and found the news hard to swallow.
‘I couldn’t believe it was happening to us,’ he said.
‘We go to church every Sunday, it was certainly a real shock. I couldn’t believe it.’
Andrew Wallace, Member for Fisher in QLD, revealed his daughter’s same-sex relationship changed his opinion on same-sex marriage
Mr Wallace said both he and his wife Leonie were ‘upset’ because they were raised in the Catholic Church.
‘It went against what our traditional beliefs were,’ he said.
Despite this, Mr Wallace said he and his wife knew they needed to embrace and support their daughter rather than ostracise her.
Mr Wallace also revealed Caroline struggled with eating disorders anorexia and bulimia growing up.
‘I don’t think her mental health issues were caused by her same-sex attraction, but I certainly think that internal struggle she was suffering through couldn’t have helped her,’ he said.
Despite this, Mr Wallace (pictured with his wife and daughters) said he knew he needed to embrace and support his daughter rather than ostracise her
Queensland MP Andrew Wallace framed by his father Ian, and his four daughters
Mr Wallace shared his daughter’s story in Parliament on Tuesday as part of the same-sex marriage debate in the House of Representatives.
Mr Wallace said one thing his daughter said left a particularly lasting impression.
‘She said: ‘Dad, in the years to come, my generation will look back and judge your generation about how you deal with the issue of homosexuality in the same way that your generation considered your parents’ generation in the way that they dealt with our Indigenous people,’ he said.
Daily Mail Australia contacted Mr Wallace for further comment.
Mrs Wallace, who was in Canberra to watch her husband’s speech, said her daughter’s sexual preference could never break their close family ties.
Mr Wallace shared his daughter’s story in Parliament on Tuesday as part of the same-sex marriage debate in the House of Representatives
Mrs Wallace, who was in Canberra to watch her husband’s speech, said her daughter’s sexual preference could never break their close family ties (four daughters pictured)
‘I don’t understand parents who turn their backs on their kids because they have a different way of living to what the parents expect,’ she told AM.
‘She’s my child and I will love her no matter what.’
Mr Wallace said he would vote for the same-sex marriage bill, but would fight for amendments.
He said he wanted more protection for religious charities, schools and civil celebrations.
More than 80 MPs are expected to speak about same-sex marriage in the House of Representatives this week, which has extended sitting hours to debate the issue.