Australia election: Rudd defends gay-marriage stance

The Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has delivered a strong defence of gay marriage on live television, days before the 7 September election.

Participating in a Q&A session on Australia's ABC News, Mr Rudd was questioned by a pastor in the audience, who asked why the Prime Minister didn't believe the words of the Bible if he calls himself a Christian.

Mr Rudd replied: "Mate, if I was going to have that view, the Bible also says that slavery is the natural condition."

He later added: "If you think homosexuality is an unnatural condition, then frankly I cannot agree with you based on any element of the science."