As Australia’s dullest-ever election edges towards its tedious conclusion, our country’s most homophobic candidates are trying unsuccessfully to make waves with their cringe-inducing antics.

Family First’s Queensland candidate Wendy Francis has today apologised for her tweeted comments likening gay marriage to “legalising child abuse,” and again denied being anti-gay.

“I take responsibility for what was sent from my office and I acknowledge that the words used caused hurt and anguish for many people. For this I sincerely and unreservedly apologise,” she says.

But she adds: “I do not believe that upholding marriage or preventing children being raised in homosexual families is discrimination.”

Francis goes on to accuse the media of misunderstanding her intentions: “Having an opinion is not homophobic. Having an opinion is not discriminatory. Having an opinion is a part of democracy and by standing for the senate I am a part of the democratic process that gives every Queenslander the chance to agree with me or not.”

“Apology’s not enough”

The Australian Coalition for Equality’s Kelly Pilgrim-Byrne, who is raising a young child with her same-sex partner, yesterday lodged a complaint against Francis’ offending remarks with the Queensland Anti-Discrimination Commission.

She says the Family First candidate’s apology is not enough. “I want to see an apology published more widely, and I want to see an apology that acknowledges the real damage caused by these comments, not just an apology for apology’s sake.

“It’s also important for Family First to take some responsibility for what has happened and ensure its members are more aware of the issues facing LGBTI people and our families,” Pilgrim-Byrne adds.

Same Same understands that more members of the LGBT community have made complaints against Wendy Francis in other states, including NSW, Tasmania and Victoria.

Abbott defends ‘colourful’ candidate

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott was in damage-control mode today, after vile old ‘humour’ writing from a Coalition hopeful in a Queensland electorate was uncovered.

A 1988 university magazine edited by LNP candidate George Christensen contained anti-Semitic and anti-female ‘jokes’, along with a tasteless joke about a gay man dying of AIDS. Another of his articles, titled ‘Ban the chop’, poured scorn on gender reassignment surgery.

Abbott defended Christensen today: “If there’s colourful stuff from George Christensen’s uni days, I think we just have to accept that uni is a colourful place and move on.”

“Gays need rehab”

A political phone-around by new Sydney gay paper City Voice has revealed that the far-right One Nation party’s candidate in the Kingsford-Smith electorate thinks we all should head into rehab.

John Cunningham (pictured) told a shocked gay journo that he’d seen “many of the unfortunates” when working on Oxford Street before he retired, “and my approach is for their psychiatric rehabilitation.”

“You’ve lost quite a number through the spread of AIDS. It’s totally opposed to the words of Christ,” the 81-year-old abruptly advised. “I have a completely Christian approach and feel very sorry for men and women who are inflicted with this.”

The prehistoric candidate was dumped by his party shortly after his comments were made public, but was bizarrely re-approved two days later.

“Poofter bashing”

Perhaps the worst example of a homophobic tirade from an election candidate so far is from One Nation’s Victorian President John Groves on – you guessed it – Twitter.

Defending Family First’s red-faced Wendy Francis, he wrote: “U have a backer in me, love to do some Poofter Bashing from time too time.”

During Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s televised Q&A interview, a Same Samer tweeted: “Please Julia when will my partner and I be able to get married legally?”

Groves’ brief and unwelcome reply to her was tweeted back almost an hour later: “Fucking Never.”

Groves, who describes himself as a “proud father of five children, ten grandchildren, and one great granddaughter,” also had puerile words for out gay Green Party leader Bob Brown this week: “Bob Brown kiss me arse bob up do it again.”