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Illustration: Rocco Fazzari

CORY BERNARDI’S repugnant views on gay marriage might have seen him demoted by the Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott, but a group of ”young conservatives” aligned with the Liberal Party appear to have no such concerns.

The South Australian senator, dumped as a parliamentary secretary for comparing same-sex marriage with bestiality, is being feted as a guest of honour at a ”young conservative” dinner tomorrow.

The dinner is being held just weeks after the controversial Sydney University Liberal Club event at which broadcaster Alan Jones made offensive comments about the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard.

The speaker list, which reads like a who’s who of the Liberal hard right, includes the NSW Attorney-General, Greg Smith, the senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells and the federal member for Indi, Sophie Mirabella.

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But news of the $150-a-head event has angered Liberal members and officials as its proceeds will not benefit the party.

It is also understood that one of its organisers is Christian Ellis, a former Family First candidate who has been banned from joining the Liberals for a decade.

The dinner is due to be held at the Westella Renaissance function centre in Lidcombe. The invitation promises ”unlimited drinks” and specifies that it is not a fund-raiser and is not associated with any political party.

The declaration has caused some party members to complain to NSW Liberal head office asking why the Attorney-General and two shadow ministers are supporting an event that may divert funds from the party before the federal election.

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Dumped senator heads special dinner guest list