Conservative Liberal Senator Eric Abetz has lashed out at claims he said same-sex couples don’t wish to get married because the owners of fashion label Dolce and Gabbana never wed.

According to Fairfax, the Tasmanian Senator made the comments following a lengthy party room meeting, which successfully killed off a push to legalise same-sex marriage.

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During the meeting, Senator Abetz is reported to have said that Italian fashion designers and former couple Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana never married and were proof that gay people didn’t wish to marry.

It’s not the first time the Senator Abetz has encountered controversy for his views on the issue.

He previously referred to gay marriage as ‘the latest fad’ that could lead to polyamory.

Last month, he also argued Australia should avoid legalising same-sex marriage because no other Asian nation had done so.

“The Labor Party and other journalists tell us time and time again that we are living in the Asian century. Tell me how many Asian countries have redefined marriage,” Senator Abetz said in an ABC interview.

But Mr Abetz has vehemently denied he made the party room remarks.

“Reports in the media today that I said that “gay men did not want to get married” are simply false,” he said in a statement on Wednesday morning.

“My view is well known. As I said at a public forum in Hobart last week, not all members of the gay community have the same view on this question.

“Basing a story on second or third-hand reports of a party room discussion without any verification with me or my office, is extremely poor journalism.”

He also attacked the opposition for leaping on the report.

“It is even worse that the Labor Leader, without knowing what was actually said, has chosen to accept this false report. But, of course, he has form in this approach,” Senator Abetz said.

Labor leader Bill Shorten earlier labelled the Senator ‘a clown’ over the alleged comparison to the Italian designers.

“We hear some of the arguments used last night … one leading conservative right-wing Liberal MP said that ‘Dolce and Gabbana never got married’. They are people who are genuinely stuck in the past,” Mr Shorten said.

“That shows you how out of touch Mr Abbott’s Liberals are.

“They are so out of touch. I am staggered you have got the most senior, or the second most senior Liberal in the Senate coming up with those sort of half-baked arguments.”

– with AAP