Szubanski was joined on the show's panel by host Tony Jones, Anglican Archbishop of Sydney Glenn Davies, Jesuit priest and law professor Frank Brennan and No campaign spokesman Karina Okotel.
Mere minutes into the debate, tensions rose after Okotel suggested that civil unions should be for gay people and marriage kept between a man and a woman, saying, “You can’t change an institution that has always existed without there being consequences.”
“You’re sending a very clear message of equal but different,” Ms Szubanksi retorted, comparing her suggestion to that of a gay AFL player winning the Brownlow Medal but instead being given “the civil acknowledgement of your very excellent effort” award.
Later, Szubanksi went on to address the scare mongering of the No campaigners, saying: “It’s not like there’s an army of us who are going to take over."
“You can’t breed us out of existence because we do originate mostly from straight people. But there does seem to be a constant number of roughly 10% of same-sex attracted people,” she said.
“It’s not like there’s an army of us who are going to take over. We just want to have the same rights and protections.”
Later, Szubanski addressed Jesuit priest Frank Brennan, who said he “believe(s) Magda cannot have a sacramental marriage in the Catholic Church”.
"Now I accept the Catholic Church will never marry me", she replied, "but you won’t even let me marry outside the Church."
"Why is it your right to determine - fair enough, in your domain, you do what you like. We live in a live and let live society. I don’t want to tell anyone else what to do. Why should you have the right to tell me or any other person, straight or gay, what they do in the civil domain? That’s not your domain."
Anglican Glenn Davies replied, "I don't think the views expressed have been telling anyone what to believe. I won't tell you that either, OK? That's not my job."
To which Szubanski hit back, "You paid a million dollars to fund the No campaign."
