In the ongoing negotiation between pluralism and tradition that defines modern democratic life, a Western Australian political candidate has drawn public censure for describing homosexuality as a mental illness and framing gay pride parades as a form of recruitment targeting the young. Parminder Singh, ranked third on One Nation's WA Legislative Council ticket, made the remarks in a circulated video — comments that have since prompted his removal from the party's website and sharp rebukes from political opponents. The episode surfaces a quiet contradiction within One Nation itself, where the p
One Nation WA candidate calls homosexuality 'mental illness' in offensive video
He's now said a bunch of patriotic Australians are mentally ill
Mark
Why does a candidate's personal video about gay people matter enough to report on?
Mimi
Because he's running for office on a major party ticket, and his stated beliefs about an entire group of people—that they're mentally ill, that they're recruiting children—those are claims that affect policy and public discourse. When someone in that position says these things, it becomes part of the public record of what that party is willing to field as a candidate.
Mark
But he said he doesn't "care" about gay people. Isn't that a contradiction?
Mimi
It is. He's saying he doesn't care about them as people, but he does care very much about controlling how they appear in public and whether their relationships are legally recognized. That's not indifference—that's a specific kind of objection dressed up as neutrality.
Mark
What's the significance of James Ashby being mentioned?
Mimi
Ashby is One Nation's National Director. He's gay. So Singh has just called his own party's leadership mentally ill. It exposes a real tension inside the party—they're running someone whose stated beliefs directly contradict the presence of their own senior figures.
Mark
Did One Nation defend him?
Mimi
Not yet. They removed his profile from their website after the ABC asked about the video. That's a form of answer—it's a retreat. But Pauline Hanson hasn't made a public statement either way.
Mark
What happens next?
Mimi
That depends on whether One Nation distances itself from him or stands by him. Either choice creates a problem. Defending him alienates voters and contradicts their own leadership. Abandoning him suggests they didn't vet their candidates properly, or that they're willing to drop people when they become inconvenient.
The Pulse
- A video of One Nation WA candidate Parminder Singh calling homosexuality a mental illness and gay pride parades a form of youth recruitment has spread rapidly, igniting political controversy.
- Singh's profile was quietly scrubbed from One Nation's website only after the ABC made inquiries, raising questions about whether the party was aware of his views before fielding him as a candidate.
- The backlash cuts unusually close to home — One Nation's own National Director, James Ashby, is gay, meaning Singh's remarks implicitly pathologise a senior figure within his own party.
- Shadow Treasurer Tim Wilson, himself a married gay man, seized on the comments to argue they expose Singh's fundamental discomfort with Australians living openly — and to question One Nation's coherence as a party.
- Pauline Hanson, who had previously praised Singh as someone who believes in equality for all, has not yet responded publicly, leaving the party's official position conspicuously silent.
In the ongoing negotiation between pluralism and tradition that defines modern democratic life, a Western Australian political candidate has drawn public censure for describing homosexuality as a mental illness and framing gay pride parades as a form of recruitment targeting the young. Parminder Singh, ranked third on One Nation's WA Legislative Council ticket, made the remarks in a circulated video — comments that have since prompted his removal from the party's website and sharp rebukes from political opponents. The episode surfaces a quiet contradiction within One Nation itself, where the party's National Director is openly gay, and invites the broader question of how a political movement reconciles its stated belief in equality with the private convictions of those it elevates to candidacy.
A video circulating on social media has placed One Nation's Western Australian Legislative Council candidate Parminder Singh at the centre of a political storm. In the clip, shared by Perth content creator Jasky Singh, the candidate described homosexuality as a mental illness, argued that gay pride parades amount to advertising sexuality to young people, and suggested that women who enter same-sex relationships do so because of negative views of men rather than genuine preference. He also invoked animal behaviour as evidence that same-sex attraction is unnatural, and attributed homosexuality to parental neglect — all while insisting his objections were not personal, only civic.
Singh ranks third on One Nation's WA ticket, and the party had previously celebrated him on social media as a hardworking immigrant businessman who, like others in One Nation, believes in equality for all people regardless of background. That framing sits uneasily beside his recorded remarks. After the ABC contacted the party for comment, Singh's candidate profile was removed from One Nation's website without explanation.
The political fallout has been swift. Shadow Treasurer Tim Wilson — a married gay man — said the comments remove all doubt about Singh's character, and pointed to a particular irony: in calling gay people mentally ill, Singh has effectively pathologised James Ashby, One Nation's own National Director, who is openly gay. Wilson framed the remarks as incompatible with both free speech values and national unity. One Nation leader Pauline Hanson, who had previously praised Singh, had not publicly responded to the controversy at time of publication.
A video posted to social media has caught a One Nation candidate in Western Australia making sweeping claims about homosexuality, describing it as a mental illness and arguing that gay pride parades amount to unwanted recruitment of young people. Parminder Singh, who ranks third on One Nation's Legislative Council ticket for WA, made the comments in a clip shared by Perth content creator Jasky Singh, known online as Mr Sikkant.
In the video, Singh objected to the visibility of gay people in public spaces. He questioned why gay individuals needed to "advertise" their sexuality through parades, comparing it unfavorably to how he doesn't announce his own heterosexuality. When pressed on how such parades affected him personally, he framed them as propaganda aimed at the young. He went further, claiming that women who enter relationships with women rarely return to men, suggesting this outcome stems from negative views of men rather than genuine preference. Throughout, he insisted these were not personal objections—he claimed not to "care" about gay people—only concerns about public visibility and legal recognition. Same-sex marriage has been legal in Australia since 2017.
Singh's reasoning extended to comparative biology. He argued that animals do not engage in same-sex behavior and therefore are "smarter" than humans, who he said exist primarily to produce the next generation. He also made remarks about transgender identity, referencing a social media post that categorized people into three groups: male, female, and what he called "mentally ill." When directly asked whether people are born gay, he answered no, calling it instead a mental illness. He attributed this to parental neglect, suggesting busy parents are responsible.
One Nation's website had previously featured Singh as a candidate, describing him as someone who immigrated to WA and built multiple businesses through hard work. A 2024 Facebook post from the party's WA branch called him a "genuinely great person" who, like others in One Nation, believes in "equality for all people, based on their character and needs, not their skin or background." His candidate profile was removed from the website after the ABC contacted One Nation for comment on the video.
The comments have drawn sharp criticism from opposition politicians. Tim Wilson, the Shadow Treasurer and himself a married gay man, said Singh's remarks "remove all doubt" about his character. Wilson noted the particular irony that Singh has now called members of his own party mentally ill—specifically referencing James Ashby, One Nation's National Director, who is gay. Wilson characterized Singh as someone uncomfortable with other Australians living openly and suggested the candidate's statements contradict both free speech principles and the goal of national unity. One Nation leader Pauline Hanson was contacted for comment but has not yet responded publicly to the controversy.
Notable Quotes
One of the reasons I believe in free speech is because people like Parminder Singh speaks his mind and remove all doubt. He's now said a bunch of patriotic Australians and his Party's supporters are mentally ill, including his Party's National Director.— Tim Wilson, Shadow Treasurer
No one born anything. I blame on the parents because parents are too busy.— Parminder Singh, One Nation candidate
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