 Following an email campaign by Family First MLCs Andrew Evans and Dennis Hood the proposed amendment was defeated, and the Bill was referred back to the House of Assembly in its original form.On 16 June 2009 Hunter delivered a speech to parliament calling for same-sex marriage in Australia and criticising Prime Minister Kevin Rudd for supporting the current definition of marriage as "between a man and a woman".His speech gained national media attention, and went on to be included in an anthology of "Great Speeches on Gay Rights".