Cory Bernardi is not exactly known for his support of same-sex marriage.
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In fact, the Liberal Party senator famously lost his frontbench spot in 2012 after he warned it would lead to people being able to marry animals.
So Bernardi was the last person one expected to see at senator David Leyonhjelm's press conference promoting a free Liberal Party vote on his marriage equality bill.
But sure enough, at the back of Thursday's media conference, there was the South Australian, who has also warned same-sex marriage will lead to group marriages.
When representatives of Australian Marriage Equality took over the microphone, Leyonhjelm went over to Bernardi to investigate the situation.
"I'm not supporting him, all right?" Bernardi told the Liberal Democrat Senator, in reference to marriage equality advocate Ivan Hinton-Teoh.
But Leyonhjelm replied he was perfectly relaxed.
"We know that. It's not a problem, I'm happy to accept opposition," he told Bernardi.
In fact, the two men may not agree on same-sex marriage but they were in furious agreement about free speech in a democracy.
"You're a senator, you're entitled to bring in any bill you like," Bernardi told him.
"And I'm entitled to advocate [against it]."
"You are, you are," Leyonhjelm nodded.
Bernardi, who had business in the nearby committee rooms at Parliament House, explained that he had simply dropped by to inform himself.
As the two men shook hands, he said: "Just wanted to hear what you had to say."
Leyonhjelm will make a second-reading speech on his "freedom to marry" bill next Thursday, and says that the Liberal Party should decide whether it will allow a free vote on the issue at their party room meeting next Tuesday.
He said this meant Prime Minister Tony Abbott could not "stand in the way".
"The time has come for the Prime Minister to reveal whether the word 'liberal' actually means anything to him or it's just a brand name like Datsun or Krispy Kreme," Leyonhjelm told reporters.
Leyonhjelm introduced his bill, which would amend the Marriage Act to allow marriage between same-sex couples, as well as transgender and intersex Australians, last November. But he has not yet given the major second-reading speech, which triggers a parliamentary debate on the bill.
