Tony Abbott has called for the abolition of the Safe Schools program, as debate flared on ABC's Q&A program over claims same-sex marriage would lead to a new "stolen generation".

The comparison was first drawn by panellist Lyle Shelton, the managing director of the Australian Christian Lobby, who said same-sex marriage would see babies taken from their mother's breast.

"For two women, or two men to found a family, that involves quite often – and particularly if we start with this new policy of defining marriage – it's not biologically possible for them to do that," Mr Shelton said.

"We have to then look at areas of assisted reproductive technology, anonymous sperm donation potentially, and then commercial surrogacy for men.

"Now that involves taking a baby away from its mother, from the breast of its mother, and giving it to two men.

"We did take Indigenous children and babies from their mothers and give them to loving families, but the error we apologised for was for taking them from their biological mother and father."

His sentiments were echoed by audience member Janet White, who suggested same sex marriage would see the "sacred bond" between a mother and child broken, as it was during a period of forced adoptions from the 1950s to 1970s.

The Q&A debate played out exactly how Georgia Weymouth-Large feared.

The young Melbourne woman, raised by lesbian parents, told the Q&A audience she was concerned the same-sex marriage plebiscite – expected some time after the next federal election – would bring "a lot of hate" to her family.

The Safe Schools program – a series of lesson plans designed to inform school children about homosexual and transgender issues – also dominated Monday night's episode. The $8 million opt-in program is being reviewed by the Turnbull government following an outcry from conservative MPs.

Mr Shelton said a more generic anti-bullying program was needed in schools, instead of one based on "contested gender ideology".

His views were reiterated by former prime minister Tony Abbott, who told News Corp on Tuesday the Safe Schools program was an exercise in "social engineering".

"It's not an anti-bullying program," Mr Abbott said. "It's a social engineering program. Its funding should be terminated."

Christopher Bush, a Q&A audience member and one of the teachers who helped write the Safe Schools resource, said the program was created "because principals and schools asked".

"They wanted and needed it. We know from beyondblue and Latrobe University that our programs work. Less self-harm. Less suicide. More acceptance. More understanding."

Many of Mr Shelton's remarks were met with jeers from the Q&A audience, while Kerryn Phelps - the first LGBTI person to be elected president of the Australian Medical Association - took umbrage with the right-wing Christian lobbyist seated next to her.

"I'm married in the USA - it's not recognised in Australia yet. I have three children and it's none of your business how they came about," she told Mr Shelton.

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