Patricia Karvelas/ABC NEWS.
A One Nation candidate in WA has described gay people as having a mental illness in an offensive new video posted onto social media.
The homophobic comments were made by One Nation’s Parminder Singh, who is the number three on One Nation WA’s Legislative Council ticket, in a clip posted by Perth comedian and content creator, Jasky Singh, better known as “Mr Sikkant”.
In the bizarre post, the One Nation candidate said gay parades “advertise” being gay to young people, and claimed women who try relationships with women do not “go back” to men.
“You no need to gay parade in city, you don’t need those type of parades,” Mr Singh said.
“I’m a man. Why I advertise, everyone know I am man. If they are gay, they are gay. Why they need to advertise.”
Anna Brown, the head of leading LGBTIQ+ organisation Equality Australia, has criticised the remarks, calling them “outdated and deeply offensive”.
His profile remained on the One Nation website this morning, but after the ABC made enquiries about the video with One Nation the page appears to have been removed.
Asked how gay people parading affected him personally, he said it was an “advertisement” to young people.
“Because of advertising. And the effect on the young generation,” he said.
“What is that? Believe me, bro. As soon women try women, they never go to the man.
Asked if he means young women will “become lesbian,” Mr Singh said it would push women not to “go back” to men.
“They don’t go back because they think the man is using them,” he said.
Despite the comments, Mr Singh insisted he did not “care” nor have a problem with gay people.
“I don’t care, But not advertise and not legalise their marriages.”
Same sex marriage was legalised in Australia in 2017.
Candidate claims people not born gay
Mr Singh said animals were smarter than humans because they were “not gay” and claimed people were on earth to create the “next generation”.
“Have you seen the male animal with the male animal? Female animal with the female animal?” he said.
“So we are worse than the animals. Animal don’t think much but they are better thinker than us.
He also appeared to make comments about transgender people, referencing “one girl who put something on social media” about there being “three sex, male, female and mentally ill.”
Asked if he thought people were born gay, he said no.
“No no, it’s a mental illness.” he said.
“No one born anything … I blame on the parents because parents are too busy.”
According to the One Nation website Mr Singh immigrated to WA with his wife, and has built up a range of businesses in WA “through hard work and commitment”.
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has been contacted for comment.
In a 2024 post on the “Pauline Hanson’s One Nation — Western Australia” Facebook page featuring a video of Mr Singh, he is described as a “genuinely great person” who “like all of us at One Nation” believes in “equality — for all people, based on their character and needs, not their skin or background.”
Equality Australia slams ‘deeply offensive’ comments
Ms Brown said the remarks did not align with the opinions of most Australians.
“We are incredibly proud that we achieved marriage equality for all Australians,” she told the ABC.
“Almost two-thirds of the nearly 80 per cent of Australians who participated in the 2017 postal survey voted in support of marriage equality.
“We think that speaks far more to what mainstream Australian attitudes are than the outdated and deeply offensive opinions of some outspoken individuals.
“People can listen to these candidates and make up their own minds as to whether they present a coherent view that is in line with modern Australian values.”
Shadow Treasurer Tim Wilson, who is himself a married gay man, said Mr Singh’s comments “remove all doubt” about his character.
“One of the reasons I believe in free speech is because people like Parminder Singh speaks his mind and remove all doubt,” he said.
“He’s now said a bunch of patriotic Australians and his Party’s supporters are mentally ill, including his Party’s National Director.”
One Nation National Director James Ashby is a gay man.
“Mr Singh is clearly a bit of a snowflake who doesn’t like seeing other Australians happily living their lives,” Mr WIlson said.
“And also doesn’t believe in free speech nor bringing our country together.”
