SA
Miles Heffernan on proposed SA laws to outlaw discrimination
South Australian Attorney-General Vicki Chapman will consider submissions made during a recently closed public consultation on proposed new laws to outlaw discrimination. The proposed reforms would legislate to stop religious discrimination against LGBTIQ students and also clients of services. Consideration of the latest reform comes hot on the heels of another win for LGBTIQ+ South …
South Australia finally abolishes gay panic murder defence
South Australia today became the final Australian state to abolish the gay panic murder defence. The South Australian government passed legislation to abolish the defence with support from the opposition and crossbench. Previously the defence could see a murder charge downgraded to one of manslaughter. A defendant only needed to prove that a homosexual advance …
Feast Festival Picnic in the Park cancelled: other events proceed
Government restrictions implemented because of the recent COVID-19 cluster in South Australia, have seen the Feast Festival Picnic in the Park cancelled. Picnic in the Park is the closing event of the annual LGBTIQ+ Queer Arts and Cultural Festival. The event, previously scheduled for Sunday 29th November, is one of the LGBTIQ+ and allied communities most …
Homophobic vandal defaces rainbow flag during South Australia’s Pride Month
A South Australian council will replace its rainbow flag after a vandal painted it with a disgusting homophobic spray. The flag was flying in the centre of the town of Mallala, 50 km from Adelaide, to coincide with SA’s “Pridevember”, run by the Feast Festival. A local resident, known as Liam, earlier took a photo …
Petition calls for South Australia to scrap ‘gay panic’ defence
South Australia LGBTIQ advocates have started a petition urging the state government to finally repeal the state’s archaic “gay panic” defence. The provocation defence allows a court to downgrade a murder conviction to one of manslaughter in certain circumstances. Outrageously, this includes allowing a heterosexual man accused of murder to claim they were “provoked” by …
Adelaide’s tribute to slain gay man who sparked historic reform
Adelaide’s Lord Mayor has honoured the memory of Dr George Duncan, whose tragic 1972 death precipitated South Australia’s nation-leading decriminalisation of homosexuality. Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor on Monday unveiled a new sign sharing Dr Duncan’s story, next to his permanent memorial near the Adelaide University footbridge on Victoria Drive. July 20 would have been the …
South Australian push for state ban on conversion therapy
South Australia’s Labor opposition is working on a bill that would outlaw harmful LGBTIQ “conversion therapy” in the state. Debunked “conversion” therapy practices involve attempting to change, alter or suppress sexual orientation or gender identity using psychological or spiritual means. South Australia’s Shadow Human Services Minister Nat Cook (pictured) is drafting legislation to outlaw the …
Adelaide’s first gay rugby team make their debut
South Australia’s first gay and inclusive rugby team the Adelaide University Sharks has set its sights on the Bingham Cup after making their debut at the weekend. Last year Adelaide University Rugby, the state’s oldest rugby club, launched the first gay and inclusive male rugby team. And on Saturday, the team made it onto the …
South Australia is the last Australian state to axe ‘gay panic’ defence
A Greens MP has called on the South Australian government to finally abolish the so-called “gay panic” defence for murder. Currently, the partial defence of provocation allows a heterosexual man accused of murder to attempt to reduce a charge if they claim they lost control and the violence was “provoked” by a non-violent homosexual advance. …
Vandal spray paints religious message on Adelaide’s Pride Walk
A vandal has spray-painted a religious message along Adelaide’s rainbow Pride Walk pathway. The rainbow-painted footpath is located in the city’s Light Square, and forms a timeline of significant dates for the state’s LGBTIQ community. Photos and video on social media show white text reading “Jesus loves you” spray-painted across many of the path’s landmarks. …