A pastor who appears in a highly criticised television advert campaigning against same-sex marriage has been torn apart on social media over another ad placed in her local newspaper.
Heidi McIvor is the mother in the Coalition of Marriage ad who says: "Kids in Year 7 are being asked to role play being in a same-sex relationship."
She and her husband Julian, also a pastor at City Builders Church in Sale, have been accused of placing an advert in Victoria's Gippsland Times supporting the "No" campaign ahead of the same-sex marriage postal vote.
The anti same-sex marriage ad placed in Victoria's Gippsland Times. Photo / Facebook
They did not place the ad, although their church has previously campaigned to keep marriage as just between a man and a woman and Mr McIvor is advertising manager at the local paper.
The ad, entitled "What is Marriage?" reads: "When the wife's egg is fertilised by the husband's sperm in the marital act of love, a flash of light occurs and a baby is conceived. Nine months later, 'their' baby is born. It is not 'hers' and it is not 'his'. They have created new life together.
"This is not physically possible for two people of the same sex. A baby produced has to be manufactured. One partner is excluded from the process, while the other has to find a donor, employ medical technicians and specialist doctors at great cost, and has only a half-share in any baby produced. The baby is not produced from their union. This is NOT marriage!!"
The ad was in fact placed by retired farmer Pat O'Brien, father of Gippsland South MP Danny O'Brien, the Australian reported.
Pastor Heidi McIvor appeared in the Coalition of Marriage's television advert urging people to vote against same-sex marriage. Photo / Coalition of Marriage
There has been huge backlash in the local community against the "disgusting" ad, with many wrongly blaming the McIvors for placing it.
"Let's burn there (sic) church," said one Facebook user of the couple.
"I hope he hasn't got children that have his DNA," one Facebook user said of Mr McIvor, a father of two.
But Mrs McIvor told the newspaper she wasn't worried about a backlash because she was ready to debate the issue. "What does worry me though is that it seems that no one can put forward an alternative opinion about marriage without it descending into personal attacks and threats," she added.
It comes after a principal hit back at claims made by another mother in the advert that her son's school told him "he could wear a dress next year if he felt like it". Frankston High School principal John Albiston said he had "checked with all the teachers, it never happened".
Mother-of-four Cella White withdrew her children from Frankston High in 2016 due to concerns over the Safe Schools programme.
Cella White also appeared in the 'No' campaign's ad to express concerns about how legalising same sex marriage might affect her children's education. Photo / Coalition of Marriage
She insisted that "to suggest that the school was not aware of my concerns is a lie" and she wanted her children to be able to attend public school "without being indoctrinated".
The third woman in the ad is Dr Pansy Lai, a Chinese-Australian from Sydney's north, who campaigns against the Safe Schools programme, which aims to reduce harm to gay, lesbian and transgender students. She told the Northern District Times the programme promoted "views on gender and sexuality that Chinese parents find extreme". In the advert, she claims such programmes could become compulsory if same-sex marriage is permitted.
Same-sex marriage advocates have since hit back with an ad promoting the "Yes" campaign.
Former Australian Medical Association president Dr Kerryn Phelps, who features in the TV advertisement, described the "No" campaign as "dishonest ... misleading claims made by opponents of equality". She said it was about "dividing the nation" while the "Yes" campaign was about "uniting Australians".
"Over the coming weeks we'll be hearing a lot about whether our family and friends who are gay and lesbian can get married," Dr Phelps said in the ad after watching some of the "No" clip.
Dr Pansy Lai says in the ad she is concerned controversial school programs could become compulsory if same-sex marriage is legalised. Photo / Coalition of Marriage
"Sadly, some are trying to mislead us, like this ad does, by saying marriage equality will have a negative impact, including on young people.
"The only young people affected by marriage equality are young gay people who, for the first time, will have the same dignity as everyone else in our country and they deserve that."
Australian Labor Party and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten told Fairfax Media the ad was "offensive and hurtful to LGBTI Australians and their families".
"This is exactly what was predicted when Malcolm Turnbull decided to waste $122 million on a postal survey. He gave the green light to this rubbish," Mr Shorten said.
Equality Campaign executive director Tiernan Brady told news.com.au the "ad is disgraceful in its dishonesty".
"The people behind this ad know that the Australian people are for allowing all Australians the right to marry so they want to desperately pretend this simple, straightforward question is about something else," Mr Brady said.
