Star Online

The hard-working girls of the Red Rattler have a special night planned on June 2, to celebrate the equally industrious men and women of the sex-work trade.

Featuring burlesque, performance artists and even a clothes stall run by the Scarlet Alliance, the night is a sure-fire way to kick off a weekend devoted to celebrating International Whores Day — held annually on June 2 to comemorate the 1975 Parisian riots which gave birth to the sex-workers rights movement.

Glitter Pony will go-go, Ginger Snaps, Debby Debutante and Cardinal Flaw and Sister Carmen will all be present to add an air of debauched celebration, before a special announcement from the Scarlet Alliance about their 21st birthday plans. Tickets range from $10 unwaged to $20 waged supporters.

The celebration will then hit the streets on June 5 as the Alliance leads a peaceful and colourful march from the Sydney Opera House. Red will be the colour-du-jour for sex workers and their friends. Event starts noon on the Opera House steps.

info: for more information, visit www.scarletalliance.org.au or call 9326 9455.

A Potts Point resident has started a social group for queer locals in the high-density suburb.
David Rorke, who is new to the area, said he started Potts Point Poofs as a reaction to the time-poor lifestyle of most residents.

“It’s not easy to meet local friends when you work full-time outside of the city and have other commitments all over the place,” he told Sydney Star Observer. “That’s why I wanted to start my own social group.”

Rorke intends for Potts Point Poofs to be a social community where queer residents of the area can meet each other and share local recommendations on the best places to eat, drink and shop. The group is open to all age groups and genders.

“If you’re in Potts Point or the vicinity, if you’ve just moved in or you’ve been here for years and if you want to meet new people to grow your social circle, then please join the group. Once we get a few members we can get things going — who knows where we’ll end up,” he said.

info: Those interested in joining the group can email pottspointpoofs@gmail.com.

Sydney Star Observer readers have called for a boycott of Channel 7 following its outing of former transport minister David Campbell last week.
The shock outing sparked massive debate on the SSO website around issues of privacy, homophobia and the politics of coming out.
Addressing journalists the morning after Campbell’s resignation, Premier Kristina Keneally spoke of her disappointment with the media, calling the matter “a very human tragedy”; David Marr wrote op-eds and former Justice Michael Kirby called the outing a “pathetic and disgraceful act”.
A senior NSW Labor source told Sydney Star Observer that “MPs across the board are angry about this”.
“Most can’t see any reason for this being in the public domain and question why Channel 7 ran the story. He didn’t do anything on the public purse, or anything that’s illegal or exploitative,” the source said.
“I don’t think we can ever presume to judge the choices that other people have felt the need to make. There’s never a reason someone should be outed, unless they’ve been quite actively campaigning against the gay and lesbian population.
“Campbell was never one of those people on-line with the people opposed to gay and lesbian rights issues.”
Campbell voted in support of both the NSW Registers Scheme and moves to lower the age of consent for gay men.
Channel 7 did not respond to numerous phone calls or emails requesting answers to these questions or an interview with either the editor who approved the story — head of news and current affairs Peter Meakin — or journalist Adam Walters. They also have not released figures about how many complaints they received over the story.
Speaking to other news sources, Meakin defended the editorial decision, claiming public interest in outing a man who had claimed to be a man of family values — an argument the NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby said was offensive in itself.
“The whole issue of family values is being posed as something that’s against being gay or frequenting gay venues,” Lobby policy coordinator Senthorun Raj said.
“There’s this idea that somehow by being gay or bisexual you are anti-family, and that’s problematic. There are many same-sex couples and families that find those kinds of comments offensive.
“A politician’s private life is not a public spectacle. To assess a politician you should look to how they perform their ministerial functions, obligations to Parliament, and whether they represent the issues they were elected on, no scandalising news about whether a politician was at a gay sex venue.”

Notification of a $3 million re-development of the Newtown Hotel site has been re-posted, following a clerical error.
The development application has been reposted for community comment after a City of Sydney clerical error led to the notification being taken down sooner than the required 30 days.
The application, submitted on behalf of Newtown Hotel Holdings, looks to reinvigorate the long-desolate site with a makeover that harks back to the building’s 19th century heritage.
There are plans to incorporate a colonial-style wrap-around verandah as part of an upstairs dining and bar space, which would sit atop a more casual dining and drinking space on the ground level.
Permission has been sought to run the space seven days a week, from 10am-midnight.
No mention has been made whether the space would be run as a specifically gay and lesbian venue, and the extensive hotel history essay attached to the application failed to make any reference to the hotel’s connection with the community.
Up until 2007 the Newtown Hotel — under the guidance of former licensee David McHugh and previous owner the late Dawn O’Donnell ­— was run as an openly gay and lesbian venue, complete with rainbow flags and drag shows.
In November 2007 McHugh was controversially evicted from the premises by the building’s owners, with less than 24 hours notice, after a disagreement over building repairs.
Negotiations between both sides continued for months, but stalled in late 2008 when the building owners bypassed discussions to apply for their own liquor licence.

info: To view the DA, visit www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au and go to development applications list.
DA: D/2009/2192.

Former NSW Transport Minister David Campbell asked for privacy and spoke of the difficulties he and his family face, at his first press conference since resigning.
“The last 24 hours have been particularly difficult for me, but it’s nothing compared to the difficulty that my family has confronted,” Campbell said, referring to the hours since Channel Seven aired images of him entering a sex-on-premises venue.
“I’ve made some personal choices which have put me and my family in this position. I’ve apologised to them and the community for it. I accept responsibility for the situation.
“I want to make it very clear that never, over the period of my public life have those personal choices impacted in any way shape or form on the decisions I’ve had to make in public life.”
He refuted suggestions that he had been at Ken’s of Kensington on the night of the F3 highway debacle, which saw motorists trapped for eight hours by a truck crash.
Campbell said phone records will soon be released, proving that he was at his Macquarie St office and then his Potts Point home throughout the evening.
He thanked his staff and supporters.
“I have been humbled to see the number of messages coming to my family and myself, from members of my community and others. I thank them for those messages of support,” he said.
“This is a very difficult time for my family. I put them in this situation and as I’ve said, I have accepted responsibility for that, but they need privacy at this point in time, so we can resolve this and put it behind us, and get on with our life.
“I would ask that their need and right be respected.”

Premier Kristina Keneally has added her voice to the numbers of people concerned over Channel 7’s decision to out former NSW Transport Minister David Campbell.
Addressing journalists this morning, Keneally labelled the handling of the story “disappointing”, stating that her thoughts remained with Campbell’s family.
“This is a very human tragedy, it brings with it some very human emotions,” she said.
“David made the right decision for him and his family. Clearly he needs this time for himself and his family to work through what is a difficult period.”
Campbell chose to resign last night, after Channel 7 news made the decision to public out him, by airing images of the 53-year-old entering the sex-on-premises venue Ken’s of Kensington.
Channel 7 news alleged that Campbell’s decision to drive to the venue in a state car was inappropriate, but as Keneally explained today, many ministers use their cars to conduct personal business.
Campbell may have shown “poor judgement” in doing so Keneally said, but re-iterated that no rules had been broken.
“He has been living with this secret about his sexuality for over two decades. I don’t think any of us can imagine what that must be like.
“It is appalling that he kept this secret, and that we live in a society where he felt he had to keep it secret.”
Campbell’s resignation, has led to a frontbench re-shuffle.
John Robertson is set to become Transport Minister, while David Borger will take on the roads portfolio.

Couples may have to wait up to two months before they can register their relationship under new laws passed by the NSW Government.

Legislation to enact a relationships register passed both houses of Parliament last week. NSW now joins the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and Tasmania on the list of jurisdictions offering formal recognition for same-sex couples.

The Labor Party-endorsed bill was passed 62-9 in the Lower House and 32-5 in the Upper House after two days of debate.

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Introducing the bill into the Upper House, NSW Attorney General John Hatzistergos said the reforms would create a formal mechanism to recognise all de facto relationships and ensure couples were able to access the full suite of their rights and entitlements under state and Commonwealth law.

“This reform respects the dignity of unmarried couples,” Hatzistergos said.

“It does this by creating a mechanism by which couples who register their relationship will, for the purposes of most NSW legislation, have access to rights and entitlements as de facto partners without having to establish each time that they are in a genuinely committed relationship.

“This will make the process of seeking access to entitlements and assert rights easier, and will provide a greater certainty of outcome.”

Although it does not create any new rights or offer any option to take part in a ceremony, the register may assist couples to qualify for tax and welfare benefits; will make it easier for same-sex couples applying for immigration visas; and will provide a proof of relationship to non-married couples.

The register will also recognise relationships registered in other jurisdictions.

When established, the register will be available to couples in which: both parties are over 18, at least one member resides in NSW, and neither is already registered or married elsewhere.

It will not be a requirement that couples live together, nor will they have to prove financial interdependence.

But couples eager to register must wait for the scheme to be set up by the Office of Births, Deaths and Marriages.

A spokeswoman for Hatzistergos said the scheme was expected to be up and running within months.

When established, couples will need to sign a statutory declaration declaring they fulfil all the criteria to register and provide proof of their identity.

After paying an as yet undetermined fee, there will be a 28-day cooling off period.

In the event that the relationship fails, either one or both parties can apply for the registration to be revoked.

A fact sheet outlining all requirements and processes for interested couples is being drafted by the Attorney General’s office, in conjunction with the Office of Births, Deaths and Marriages, and is expected to be released in days.

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Federal Opposition leader Tony Abbott garnered enough hisses to shame a silent-movie villain as he took out the inaugural Golden GLORIA for most outrageous comment about the GLBTI community on Monday night.

Forty nominations and 2000 votes were whittled down to seven ‘winners’ at the GLORIAs — the gay and lesbian equivalent of the Bernies.

The Australian Christian Lobby’s Jim Wallace took out the religious category for his comment claiming more than 70 percent of prosecuted pedophiles were gay.

The Footy Show was the unsurprising recipient of the sports award for its Elton Johns skit.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority was dishonourably mentioned for its ruling on an episode of Dante’s Cove that was deemed to have breached codes of practice for featuring a male-on-male sex scene.

Family Council of Victoria secretary Bill Muehlenberg won the online category for suggesting gays should simply control their behaviour.

The silliest comment from within the gay and lesbian community award went to journalist Christopher Pearson for claiming policies on providing condoms had been catastrophically ineffective.

But the top honour was saved for Abbott who, by the fair and accurate means of a ‘boo-off’, was elected overall winner on the night for the comments he made on 60 Minutes that he felt threatened by gays.

info: For more information, or to send your nominations for next year’s awards, visit www.theglorias.com.au

Gay and lesbian rights advocates have welcomed the introduction of the NSW Relationships Register Bill as a “first step” towards wider achievements.

NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby policy coordinator Senthorun Raj praised the level of support for the bill from all sides of politics.

“Equality before the law is a basic principle and no party should discriminate against any particular population group,” Raj said.

“Typically most same-sex law reform has happened under Labor governments. It was pleasing to see members of both parties support same-sex relationship rights.

“This is a step forward that could mobilise a bill to amend the NSW adoption act ­— the last piece of legislation to directly discriminate against same-sex couples. We hope the recognition this provides will help continue those discussions around adoption reform.”

Australian Coalition for Equality spokesman Corey Irlam welcomed the shift in Government attitude.

“In 12 months NSW has gone from being opposed to a relationship register to being convinced,” he told Sydney Star Observer.

“NSW has also raised the bar for other states, by allowing for interstate recognition.

“It was unfortunate to see no ceremonies included. In 2010, one would think the ability to publicly affirm your relationship wouldn’t be controversial, and that should have been included in the scheme.

“But as we’ve seen in other parts of the country, no [registers] have been introduced with a ceremony in the first phase.

“People need to remember that this is not marriage. It is designed so that people who are in same-sex relationships that may not meet the de facto criteria can now receive recognition. Or if they do meet the criteria, they don’t have to burden themselves with a whole bunch of proof papers.”

NSW Greens leader Lee Rhiannon said the bill was a welcome move, but regretted more had not been done to acknowledge the cause for same-sex marriage.

“The second reading was really an opportunity for [NSW Attorney General John Hatzistergos] to say quite clearly that this is an historic and important step, but one that doesn’t go far enough,” she said.

“This is not marriage ­­— which is what must be granted to ensure full and equal rights for gay and lesbian couples. The failure of the minister to do so was disappointing.

“There should have been more acknowledgement this doesn’t do the full job, and the NSW Government could have urged their federal colleagues to look at marriage equality.”

She raised concern over the Government’s decision to introduce the legislation on federal budget night ­— a factor which led to 20 Labor ministers being absent for the lower house vote, including NSW Premier Kristina Keneally.

“To look at it politically, in the context of coming into an election, they are being overly cautious around a lot of these issues,” Rhiannon said.

A spokeswoman from Keneally’s office said, “although Premier Keneally was not in the chamber for the vote, the legislation was reintroduced by her Government and endorsed by her Cabinet and the Labor caucus.

“This legislation follows a request from the Commonwealth Attorney-General, Robert McClelland, last year, encouraging the states to establish nationally consistent relationship registration schemes.”

Choice Quotes from the Chamber

Helen Westwood MLC
ALP
I am sure it has never occurred to those members that in exercising their right, as they see it, to a conscience vote to uphold discriminatory laws they deny other Australian men and women rights afforded to all Australians not in same-sex relationships.
It is also worth reflecting on the human worth of members of our society. Again, I read their contributions and I find it astounding that there is no acknowledgement of the contribution of gay men and lesbians to our society, no acknowledgement that they do great things as members of our community. Their contribution makes positive differences to our communities and to society. They are willing to judge us on the basis of our intimate relationships. In fact, they think our intimate relationships give them the right to deny us rights afforded to all other Australians. I certainly look forward to the day when we are measured for our human worth and contributions in the same way as other Australians who are not gay or lesbian.

Michael Veitch MLC,
ALP

This bill is an important step forward in the broader debate for a sane, rational society that respects gay, lesbian and transgender couples.

Trevor Khan MLC,
National Party

All are entitled to our love, all are entitled to our support and all are entitled to equal treatment.

Andrew Stoner MLA,
National Party

I say to de facto couples who want to express some form of lasting relationship: what better way is there to do so than marriage?
Rev Fred Nile, MLC
Christian Democratic Party

There is a lot of evidence available to show why we should not proceed down the path of same-sex marriage, for which this bill will provide a platform.

Dr Gordon Moyes MLC,
Family First

Society rests upon the strength of its marriages, families, homes, and preparation of the new generation. Homosexuals, generally speaking, are not talking about that at all.

For 15 years couturier Robert Best has been doing big designs on a very small scale — 30cms, to be exact.
As the principal designer for Barbie some would think Best’s job amounts to little more than playtime. But between the divas, devoted detractors and demanding collectors, Best is left with little time to do what he does best — fashion.
Best is the man who cemented Barbie’s status in the world of high-end fashion. He got her networking with top-end designers like Dior, Louboutin and Diane von Furstenberg, and has kept her immovable plastic foot one step ahead of the rest ever since.
He was the creator behind the crystal-encrusted gown on Billions of Dreams Barbie and developed one of the most popular collectibles line, the Silkstone Barbies ­— the dolls of choice for adults who know that, were she real, Barbie would never be caught dead in anything less than hand-stitched silk and vintage lingerie.
“I wasn’t ever obsessed with Barbie. I had a healthy love of her,” Best told Sydney Star Observer.
In his childhood, he played with his sister’s dolls, and cried with frustration as he tried to re-create picture-perfect curls on a Quick Curl Skipper.
Best’s story suddenly opened memories of me petulantly throwing Barbie across the room when her hair refused to change colour like it said it would on the box.
It’s not an odd response, Best kindly assured me, for people to offload their childhood memories on him.
“It’s universal. There’s always an immediate response that varies from ‘I hate her’, to ‘Oh my God, I still play with Barbie’. ”
The camps of Barbie lovers versus those who see her as a symbol of culture’s demise have long been entrenched. In the ’60s a go-go dancer-inspired Barbie was deemed nothing short of scandalous.
Today’s critics have similar qualms, seeing Best’s lingerie-wearing Fashion Model series as a sign of the sexualisation of little girls.
“People have such weird issues about sex that have nothing to do with Barbie,” he responded.
“I mean, we’re not putting Barbie in pasties and a thong. If she has vintage-looking lingerie, I don’t see that as such a problem. It’s a weird conversation for me.
“I know that people do get hung up on that, but children don’t have all those issues. It’s taught behaviour and it’s the parents’ role to inform the kid.
“If they want to tell their kid, ‘This is lingerie’, they don’t have to add, ‘That’s what a stripper wears’. If you’re telling your kid that, that’s what they’re going to think.
“When you look at the world we live in, compared to the media and music videos, I think we’re still very tame.”
Controversy is not exclusively the domain of the blonde mistress. Ken too has the power to raise eyebrows — and not just because of his plastic mound.
Earlier this year the blogosphere went crazy when pictures of Mattel’s latest creation, Palm Beach Sugar Daddy Ken, were leaked around the world.
Wearing white chinos, a Carson Kressley-like green jacket and walking a tiny dog on a pink leash, this incarnation caused many to cry joyfully, ‘At last! He’s come out’. Unfortunately not everyone, including toy retailers, were so happy and Palm Beach Ken’s plans for world domination were shelved.
“Ken never sells as well as Barbie, so retailers will always hold their spend for the Barbie buy,” Best said.
“But let’s just say the name didn’t help us. We called him ‘sugar daddy’ and that was misconstrued by certain media outlets to be a negative.
“But as for complaints about him being too camp, the whole line is camp. He’s Ken, it’s in his DNA to be campy.”
The need to remain appropriate is always in the back of Best’s mind, influencing the choices he makes in celebrity Barbies.
Though he would love to do a Judy: The Later Years Barbie, there could be concerns around the appropriateness of an accompanying miniature pink pill bottle. A Liza doll could be possible though.
“I’d love to do it — the sequin tunic and crazy hair, her hands outstretched like ta-da! It’d be great,” Best confessed.
“We used to have a phrase when designing, ‘What would drag queens do?’ It’s such a good barometer of what makes for flashy, glitzy, showy visuals.” This in some part explains the release of a Babs doll.
“I remember when the marketing girl said, ‘Robert, I’ve got Barbra Streisand on the phone’. I thought she was lying, but there she was on speaker-phone saying, ‘Heeellooo goorrgeesous’. I just stopped and thought, is this really happening?
“We hear from our collectors all the time about who’s on their wish list, but it can be a long and tenuous process to get a celebrity.
“People can want a Lady Gaga doll, but the celebrity has to be willing.”
For the record, Gaga has been approached, and negotiations are ongoing.
“Sometimes you just have to keep asking.”
As for Best’s personal wish list, a range devoted to iconic ’90s supermodels remains close to the top. But the top slot is devoted to a surprising choice — Jean Shrimpton.
There are concerns a Shrimpton doll may not be recognisable enough for the masses, but any Australian with even a remote interest in fashion would queue to snatch her up.
It does, however, beg the question — what would the accessories line be for a doll devoted to a model whose greatest claim to fame was that she refused to wear a hat, stockings or even gloves to Victoria Derby Day?