Tony Abbott's gay marriage fashion statement under fire Labor plans to put Tony Abbott's character at the centre of the election campaign after a third stumble by the Opposition Leader in three days. Despite having presented Prime Minister Kevin Rudd as the return to positive politics, Labor strategists have called for an all-out assault on Mr Abbott. Tony Abbott holds a media conference in Brisbane on Wednesday morning. In an interview on Wednesday morning, Mr Abbott appeared to dismiss same-sex marriage as "the fashion of the moment." Speaking with talkback radio host John Laws, Mr Abbott said he supported the traditional definition of marriage between a man and a woman but added his family was "a little divided on this." I know where I stand on this. I respect the views of people who disagree with me but I respectfully disagree with them," he said. Mr Abbott used the same interview to affirm his opposition to discrimination on the basis of race, religion, gender or sexuality, but then spoke about respecting traditions and not embarking on "radical change based on the fashion of the moment." "We have to be conscious of the fact that we are all the products of the society, of the culture, of the circumstances that have shaped us," he said. I'm not saying that our culture, our traditions are perfect, but we have to respect them and my idea is to build on the strength of our society and I support, by and large, evolutionary change. I'm not someone who wants to see radical change based on the fashion of the moment. It came after he referred on Tuesday to the "sex appeal" of the Liberal candidate for Lindsay, Fiona Scott, and a slip of the tongue on Monday when he said no one was "the suppository of all wisdom." On the back of the comments, Labor is set to release fresh TV ads expected to illuminate some of the perceived weaknesses and old-fashioned stance of Mr Abbott. "This campaign is now going to be about a choice between a 20th century man [Abbott] and the future [Rudd]," a senior ALP strategist said. The ALP believes Mr Abbott's stance on marriage equality casts him as stuck in the past and any voter in their 20s would have trouble supporting him. Labor frontbenchers have strongly condemned Mr Abbott's views on gay marriage. Finance Minister Penny Wong, who is in a long-term same-sex relationship, tweeted: "Note to Mr Abbott: Equality is not a fashion item." Deputy Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Mr Abbott was out of touch with modern Australia, saying the description of sexual orientation as a fashion statement would be deeply offensive to many people. He said Mr Abbott had trouble whenever he was talking without a script. "To describe sexual orientation as the fashion of the moment will be deeply offensive to those who understand, and most Australians do, that people's sexual orientation are just the way they are," he told ABC TV. Mr Albanese said same-sex marriage was not a radical change; it would not alter the rights of already married heterosexual couples and merely extended the rights to same-sex couples who were in loving relationships. It's an extension of rights and an extension indeed of recognition by society in a secular way of the importance of stable relationships and to describe it as a fashion statement is, I think, just out of touch with modern Australia. Mr Albanese acknowledged many of his Labor colleagues were also opposed to same-sex marriage but he was worried Mr Abbott's use of the term "fashion" would have an effect on young people struggling with their sexual orientation. Mr Abbott hit back at Labor's attacks, calling the party "pathetic" for trying to "raise this sort of thing in an attempt to claw back votes in a campaign they're losing." In a media conference north of Brisbane, Mr Abbott acknowledged same-sex marriage was an important issue but not the only one facing Australia. "I certainly think it's a very significant issue," he said. I know that there are people in my own party room who have strong feelings on both sides of this issue. An incoming Coalition government would focus on "bread and butter issues," such as jobs, getting the budget under control and border security, Mr Abbott said. Mr Abbott's lesbian sister, Christine Forster, said this week she had noticed a "significant shift" in how Mr Abbott approached the issue of marriage equality. Ms Forster had told the ABC that Mr Abbott had felt conflicted about vowing against the proposal in Parliament last year and every time the issue came up she noticed "slight, very small shifts."