Labor leader Bill Shorten has been confronted by a preacher imploring him not to describe opponents of same-sex marriages as homophobic.
Mr Shorten was addressing reporters after leaving a parliamentary church service in Canberra on Tuesday when the man asked for a word.
He picked up on a comment the opposition leader made after the Orlando nightclub shooting that the plebiscite campaign would "give haters the chance to come out from under the rock".
"Please don't speak like that about other Australians so we can have a civil and tolerant discussion rather than the hate that's been coming," the man said.
"That was disappointing, and I like you and I like the Labor party."
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Mr Shorten replied he understood people of faith could be opposed to same-sex marriage.
"But some people who object to marriage equality do have homophobic attitudes," he said.
