politics
‘Rubbish’: Advocates call for Pauline Hanson to apologise for new rant
Senator Pauline Hanson has been asked to apologise to intersex people for calling the issues affecting their community “rubbish”. Yesterday, Greens Senators Rachel Siewert, Janet Rice and Labor senator Louise Pratt moved a motion recognising Intersex Day of Solidarity this month. The motion called on parliamentarians to commit to learning about intersex people and “consider …
Guess who voted against recognising Transgender Awareness Week?
Three conservative senators have come under fire for voting against a Senate motion recognising Transgender Awareness Week. Greens Senators Rachel Siewert and Janet Rice and Labor Senator Patrick Dodson put forward the joint motion on Wednesday. “Transgender Awareness Week is an opportunity to learn about gender diversity, work to remove all forms of discrimination against …
ACT leader Andrew Barr married his partner on their 20th anniversary
The Australian Capital Territory’s Chief Minister Andrew Barr, our first openly gay government leader, has married partner Anthony Toms. The couple tied the knot at a “small family ceremony” on Wednesday at the historical Longworth House in Anthony’s hometown of Newcastle, New South Wales. Barr posted to Instagram a collage of wedding snaps. The ACT …
One Nation’s Mark Latham pays tribute to Margaret Court
The New South Wales parliament has backed a motion from Mark Latham to honour the sporting career of controversial tennis legend Margaret Court. The One Nation NSW leader moved the motion in the state’s Legislative Council on Wednesday, with MPs voting for it. The motion celebrates her achievements, recognises the upcoming 50th anniversary of her …
Call for submissions as NSW historical gay hate crime inquiry reopens
The New South Wales parliamentary inquiry into four decades of gay and transgender hate crimes has reopened and will hear from regional communities next year. The inquiry, the first of its kind in Australia was launched last year. In February, the committee recommended further investigation into suspected anti-gay homicides across the state. In 2020, the …
Michael Kirby slams Morrison government’s religious discrimination bill
Former High Court judge Michael Kirby has said the Morrison government’s “unbalanced” draft religious discrimination bill will lead to “intolerance and hostility” in Australian society. In a letter to the Australian Law Journal, Kirby said the bill was born of “hostile religious assertions of a minority of conservative politicians” after same-sex marriage passed in 2017. …
30th anniversary: Qld Nat’s battle against homosexual invasion
Thirty years ago this month the Queensland National Party alerted voters to a looming homosexual invasion. As the dying government flailed in search of a lifeline, they latched onto homosexuality as a lifebuoy. The Canberra Times reported on Premier Russell Cooper’s battle cry. A Labor victory would, “open the floodgates and see a sea of …
After election review, Labor urged to oppose religious discrimination bill
LGBTIQ advocates have called on Labor to oppose contentious provisions in the government’s draft religious discrimination bill in the wake of the party’s post-election review. Responding to Labor’s 2019 election postmortem released on Thursday, just.equal spokesperson Rodney Croome said the review “failed to present concrete evidence the party’s election defeat was because of the defection …
Cook Islands backflips on legalising gay sex after church pressure
Politicians in the Cook Islands have backtracked on decriminalising homosexuality in the Pacific nation, reportedly under pressure from church leaders. Two years ago, the Cook Islands Parliament was praised for removing “indecent acts between men” and “sodomy” from a draft Crimes Bill. But last weekend the chairman of a committee, Tingika Elikana, said the government …
Germany unveils draft law to ban gay conversion therapy
Germany’s Health Minister has unveiled a draft law to ban so-called “gay conversion therapy” on children under 18. “Conversion therapy” refers to debunked and harmful practices to change or suppress an individual’s sexual orientation or transgender identity, using psychological or spiritual means. Germany’s draft bill would punish those carrying out conversion therapy on under-18s, or …