Australia's "sex party" has released a bizarre election campaign video attacking the Catholic Church.

In the video, with a catchy tune, an actor dressed as a priest sings about who can bring the kids in to church and has the chorus: "The Vatican can."

Choristers in purple robes dance alongside as he goes on: "And it screws up people's lives and makes the world less good."

He also sings: "Who controls the weddings, so gays can't say I do?"

Another actor hangs from a cross and nods his head in time to the music. A moving pointer in the form of a head of Pope Francis bounces over the words across the screen, also in time to the music. 

The video, which also satirises the Catholic Church over its views on assisted dying, has been made for the 2016 election campaign. The Australian Sex Party says its mandate is to fight on issues such as gender and sexual equality, secular government, drug law reform, taxing religious institutions and voluntary assisted dying.

The federal election for 226 members of the Australian Parliament is on Saturday 2 July 2016.

Some commentators have  been left bemused by the video, which is unusual for an election campaign in its use of the musical theatre idiom. But party officials say the aim is to ensure that all religions in Australia are transparent in their dealings.

Catholic bishops in Australia have spoken out regularly against gay marriage. 

Fiona Patten, leader of the Australian Sex Party, told The Feed: "Most Australians probably think there's a clear separation of church and state like in the US, but there's not. That separation is not recognised in our constitution. I think people would be surprised to know that."