The manifesto, 21 Reasons Why Gender Matters, claims that being gay is a “pathology” that “encourages the sexual and psychological exploitation of children”.

Health Minister Nicola Roxon sacked one of the ambassadors, Fatherhood Foundation president Warwick Marsh, after he refused to repudiate the document, which Roxon described as “quite abhorrent”.

The other, Lone Fathers Association president Barry Williams, has been allowed to continue in the role. “I think that Mr Williams’ sins are not having read and taken care what he put his name to,” Roxon said.

“He has publicly and expressly disassociated himself from any of these comments and I am prepared to accept that explanation.”

When contacted by MCV, Williams said he had “no problem” with gays and lesbians, “but it seems they’ve got a problem with me” and declined to answer further questions. However, some gay activists and health workers have continued to question Williams’ appropriateness in the role. “He may have no problem with us, but the agenda he signed up to is a problem for us,” Australian Coalition for Equality (ACE) spokesperson Rod Swift told MCV.

Swift said Gender Matters was basedon “a litany of statistics that have been debunked or selectively misinterpreted” and that it obscured the fact that many of the contributors are active in fundamentalist religious groups. “The gay and lesbian community can’t have faith in Williams until he repudiates all the other anti-gay documents he has signed as well as his attendance at anti-gay rallies.”

National GLBT Health Alliance spokesperson Paul Martin said the intended role of the men’s health ambassadors is to engage men in discussion around their health to inform the development of a national men’s health policy. “The Alliance believes gay men wouldn’t feel confident in coming forward to participate in the development of that policy and sharing their views with men who hold anti-gay views.”

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