People wait for parliamentarians to vote on recognising same-sex partnerships in the square outside parliament in Valletta April 14, 2014. The Maltese parliament approved a law late on Monday to recognise same-sex partnerships on a legal par with marriage
People wait for parliamentarians to vote on recognising same-sex partnerships in the square outside parliament in Valletta April 14, 2014. Reuters/Darrin Zammit Lupi

A letter by an 11-year-old Australian boy chastising Prime Minister Tony Abbott for his pathetic stand on gay marriage has gone viral. It was initially posted on Facebook, including the reply of Mr Abbott, and is reposted in various Web sites in different parts of the world, reports News.com.au.

The author is Orlando Burcham, the son of Councillor Cordelia Troy of the Liberal Party and one time deputy major of the political party. Troy is gay and had to spend thousands of dollars to get married in New York.

"It is so pathetic that you aren't letting the gay people of Australia and other countries get married here," Burcham wrote.

He argued, "You were elected to represent our country, not yourself. Just because you think it's wrong, does not give you the right to make it illegal. Doesn't our opinions matter to you? Just because you're the Prime Minister, which by the way does not give you all the power."

The boy ended his letter hoping the PM would change his mind.

Troy, who has four children and discusses politics at the dinner table to develop critical thinking among her kids, said Orlando's letter brought tears to her eyes.

She said that he wrote the letter on his own without help from her, except questions about spelling and reminders from her for the boy to be respectful.

Troy divorced her children's father, came out and in 2013, married Marissa Burrier in the Big Apple.

She added that she knew Mr Abbott's sister, Christine, who is also a lesbian, and her partner. When he was still Opposition leader, Mr Abbott said that despite his political and personal stand against gay marriage, if Australia would legalise same-sex union and his sister would wed her partner, he would still attend the ceremony as family member.

In his reply to Orlando, Mr Abbott thanked the kid for sharing his views on gay marriage, but said any changes to the current definition of marriage, based on a 1961 law, is a policy amendment for the Coalition Party Room to decide.

He said despite their having different outlooks on gay marriage, he respects the boy's views and underscored that dialogue between the government and citizens on issues like same-sex union keeps the country's democracy strong.