In a talkback session about gay marriage this morning, 2GB’s Alan Jones was asked about his own sexuality.

“Are you a homosexual?” asked caller Robin.

Jones deflected the question, saying: “That’s irrelevant to the issue. The issue is marriage definitionally, of course, is a union between man and a woman. It’s not what I think, you think, Bill Shorten thinks, it’s what the community thinks, and the Parliament thinks, and let those people express their view.”

Gay marriage was not the main issue on today’s show, it was about citizenship for those who act against Australian values, but the caller focused Jones on the issue of love, however it may be shown. In response, Jones said:

“I don’t understand the complexity of it … we’re not telling anyone what to believe, it’s 2015. On this issue we must respect the view of others. The reality is this, in a very difficult world, which is often impersonal, uncaring, ruthless and sometimes brutal in personal relationships, love can prove elusive. And my view is that when people find love they should be able to celebrate it. And they shouldn’t be discriminated against according to the nature of that love. To deny people the recognition for a relationship which is based on love is to deny in my opinion one of humankind’s most basic, but as I said elusive, qualities.”

The caller and Jones’ response were removed from the 2GB podcast of the show, but was noted by several media outlets including the SMH.