Anti-gay MP to be Speaker
Controversial anti-gay Sunshine Coast MP Fiona Simpson has been announced as the new Speaker of Queensland’s parliament.
She will be the state’s first ever female Parliamentary Speaker.
An advocate of so-called ‘reparative therapy’ for homosexuals, the Liberal National Party MP famously told the state’s legislative assembly that homosexuals could “grow into heterosexuality over time”.
The conservative Christian, who was the shadow minister responsible for communities and women, also encouraged people struggling with their sexuality to contact Exodus ministries – part of a Christian ‘ex-gay’ organisation that claims to be able to cure homosexuality.
Renewed scrutiny of Simpson’s speech, which was made during discussion of anti-discrimination law changes in November 2002, arose when she argued against former Deputy Premier Andrew Fraser’s plans to introduce a bill legalising same-sex civil unions late last year.
Simpson refused to clarify whether she still supported ‘ex-gay’ therapy when the comments resurfaced and her official Facebook page was deleted after it was inundated with criticism from social media users angered by her remarks.
LGBTI community groups had been nervously awaiting the announcement of Premier Campbell Newman’s new front bench to see whether Simpson would retain the community services portfolio.
She told the ABC today that she had not sought the Speaker role and had expected to be part of Newman’s cabinet.
Simpson overwhelming won her Maroochydore seat at last week’s state election with 58.7 percent of the primary vote.
Read the full transcript of Simpson’s 2002 comments on Hansard here on pages 53-54.
Hey Brenty, as a sex worker I find your comment about sex workers incredibly offensive
“There is a brothel on a main road near where I live. The constant stream of married men going there, 24 hours per day is unbelievable! Most husbands should be disinfected when they arrive home to the wife and kiddies! ”
This is supporting the completely untrue assumption that sex workers are vectors of disease. A myth that is completley untrue.
A great pity that in fighting for the rights of one marginalised group you have vilifeid another marginalised group.
Phil, the next time you send one of your indecipherable rants, remember, it’s your taxes paying her salary, not mine.
Excuse me didn’t she stand for election which real humans voted in ?
unlike the LGBTIQAPC,which is unrepresentative swill,as paul keating would say.
no matter what your individual outrage and no matter the catholic crap that comes out of their heads guess what kids ,iTS THE WILL OF THE People of Queensland and has a mandate!
see thats how the Human inclusive body politic functions .
so until a ‘Gay and Lesbian” Political party is formed ,tough cookies .they have the guns and the Police to back them up and the LGBTIQAPC has what exactly ?
see what happens when YOU confuse the question of Homosexual rights vs LGBTIQAPC whatever.Everyone dismisses and laughs waiting for the next wacky definition ,hey I hope for recognition of repeating sexuality or ‘R” ,then we have the truth about how not to defend the Homosexual community ,LGBTIQ CRAP.
So just keep going withyour Political stunts ,as it further Isolates and gives strength to putrid layers such as the speaker of the house in Queensland ,I wish the LGBTIOQAPC would learn about real politic ,not the manufactured variety!
DOWN WITH THE RELIGOUS INSTITUTION OF MARRIAGE ,should be the call of the Homosexual community ,hey think of all the women who would respond to that call??????
It is great that the she was elected along with a strong LNP group. For aspects of homosexuality that is learned, maybe various cure therapies are the way to go.
Don’t blame me, I didn’t vote for the LNP
=========================================
*sigh*
Fiona Simpson is now Parliamentary Speaker for Queensland. This is what you get for voting in the LNP, you pack of morons.
I don’t want to live in this idiotic state anymore.
Reparative Therapy has been proven to be soul destroying because it only causes undue confusion & stress which leads to anxiety & depression which can trigger a suicide. My head is already mess ever since this right wing government got into power and threatens our rights & healthcare services. If my hormone therapy and psychological support gets taken away from me then my life is over & I am a dead woman it really is that simple!
Mark of Sydney, you are spot on! There is a brothel on a main road near where I live. The constant stream of married men going there, 24 hours per day is unbelievable! Most husbands should be disinfected when they arrive home to the wife and kiddies! So much for the socalled ‘sacredness’ of heterosexual marriage!
Interesting comment John p,but in 2012 the father of that baby could be any bloke,with all the fun and games that hetro’s play,while playing happy families in public.
Also there’s no love in hetro r/s,Either the husband is visiting a Brothel,as they do in their tens of thousands or having an affair.
No wonder 50% of hetro r/s flop after just 5 years,some wedding vows,hey Johnny.
She can’t make me grow into heterosexuality as much as I can’t make her grow into homosexuality. Unless she’s a closet lesbien and can’t handle it, which would explain her ignorant bigotry
I think its great! Lets hope she puts that minority gay group in thier place. its takes one man and one woman to make a baby. put the gay group back behind closed doors for good.
I don’t understand how this is a bad thing. As Anth said, as speaker, she can’t vote and therefore her looney views won’t have too large an effect on legislation.
Just elected and the Joh anti gay on the agenda already!
Do Not remember any of this being in the party platform before the election, except Campbell’s equivicol answers about Gay Marriage.
Boy this member of Parliament,Fiona Simpson is a uselss pollie… so Speaker will suit her narrow views to a tee! Maybe she can gown up like tghe idiot in Canberra.
Might be a good thing (within the context of a generally bad election for progressives). Newman’s moved her out of Community Services and plonked her into the speaker’s chair where she won’t vote and can do less harm.
The queenslanders have effectively delivered a right-wing dictatorship to their state with the LNP basically in total control. They will all reap the rewards from this. I pity them when they realise how self serving the conservatives are.
Ah yes, the forty-somethng unmarried Miss Simpson…
Umm.. I don’t want to be seen to be supportive of this woman in any capacity… but Exodus Ministries is a Dallas, Texas-based non-denominational Christian former prisoner rehabilitation organization, which attempts to help those who are released from prison back into society at large
On the other hand… Exodus International is a non-profit, interdenominational ex-gay Christian organization. And it’s a truly shambolic organisation!
Rehabilitating prisoners isn’t such a bad thing (regardless of one’s religious convictions)
Perhaps some research/clarification is in order?
**ED’S NOTE: Hey Benjamin. Thanks for the note. Simpson was talking about the eight Exodus ministries currently operating in Australia, five of which are located in Queensland. Note the lower case ‘m’. So not specifically referring to Exodus International as a body. Cheers**
Why not ask her?
http://www.fionasimpson.com.au/contact.aspx
The ‘Ed’s Note’ say it all!
Catholics have a horrible history of persecution.
First is was women.
Virgins.
Heretics.
Witches.
Jews.
Homosexuals.
The stars and the new worlds are a long way off in the future
to escape this murderous cult.
Amen.
While not defending in any way what she said, does she still hold these views? They were made over 10 years ago…
**ED’S NOTE: We called her office when the comments resurfaced in October last year to seek clarification over whether she still believed them. She refused to respond to our or any other media outlet’s inquiries.**
Beginning of the end for progressives in Queensland!