LGBTI leaders urge Malcolm Turnbull to ditch plebiscite after Orlando shootings

LGBTI leaders urge Malcolm Turnbull to ditch plebiscite after Orlando shootings
Image: Sydney's vigil at Taylor Square for the victims in Orlando. Photo: Ann-Marie Calilhanna

AUSTRALIAN LGBTI leaders and politicians are urging Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to cancel the marriage equality plebiscite following the targeted mass shooting of LGBTI people in the United States.

Omar Mateen stormed the gay nightclub Pulse in Orlando, where he shot and murdered 49 people on Saturday night Florida time. A further 53 people were injured in a violent act that has rocked the world’s LGBTI community.

 In Australia, people are calling on the Prime Minister to ditch the plebiscite for fears it would lead to violence and discrimination against LGBTI people here.

Leader of the Australian Equality Party, Jason Tuazon-McCheyne has written to Turnbull to seek an “urgent meeting” with a delegation of LGBTI people to discuss the safety and concerns of LGBTI people in the wake of the Orlando incident. He also launched a change.org petition asking the PM to stand up for the LGBTI community.

“LGBTI people are scared,  I have had numerous friends email me and share how unsafe they feel at the moment,” he said.

“Many of us have received hateful emails and tweets and we don’t know how serous we should take them.  After yesterday they feel more real.

“The LGBTI community is in pain after Orlando.  To think that a safe community space such as the Pulse nightclub  can be the place for mass murder and hate is shocking and has made us all a little fearful and scared for our own safety,” he said.

“I am bracing myself for the plebiscite and how hard that will be,  but I am more worried about our son and other kids in LGBTI parented families who will be exposed to an environment that may cause massive harm.”

NSW sexual health organisation ACON is offering counselling services for people experiencing difficulties following the shootings.

“ACON has specific concerns regarding the possibility of an upcoming plebiscite on marriage equality – concerns we have expressed previously,” ACON CEO Nicolas Parkhill said.

The potential impact of airing hateful and negative commentary in a legitimised forum such as a public plebiscite will have serious and detrimental effects on the collective health and safety of our community.

“Given the hate-inspired barbarism committed in Orlando, those concerns are now acute and very real.”

The NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby (NSW GLRL) are also calling for marriage equality legislation to pass through parliament by a free vote

“We don’t need a potentially damaging ‘no’ campaign to put this issue at unnecessary risk and scrutiny,” NSW GLRL co-convenor, Chris Pycroft said.

“Recent events, as well as the existing political landscape, have seen increased attention and demands for equality for all LGBTI Australians. A coalition of organisations, including the NSW GLRL, will shortly be releasing results of the Rainbow Votes election survey, so that voters can be made aware of the policies and positions from every major party when they go to vote this election.”

Homophobic bullying, violence and intimidation still occurs in Australia according to Greens Senator Robert Simms who said they are reasons a marriage equality plebiscite should be scrapped.

“Here in Australia, as in the United States, the gay bar has always been considered a safe space and to see that space being attacked in this way, adds another distressing dimension to this tragedy,” he said.

“A plebiscite on marriage equality is so dangerous, because it’s a breeding ground for hate-speech. While we’ve seen in the days following this tragedy an outpouring of grief in Australia, we’ve also seen some homophobia bubble up to the surface too.

“We don’t need that kind of hate-speech being given a forum through a costly and divisive plebiscite on marriage equality.”

Whether it is appropriate to use tragedy which occurred on the other side of the world to enact political in Australia is not up for debate according to Tuazon-McCheyne.

“Yes (it is appropriate), because we are all humans and homophobia is worldwide and affects us all,” he said.

Parkhill agrees: “Homophobic violence is still a regular occurrence (in Australia) and there are many in our community who vividly recall the widespread institutionalised violence that occurred not so long ago.

“Tragedies like this should spark reflection and action, wherever homophobia is experienced. It is in this context that ACON would hope that the Coalition would reconsider their support for the proposed plebiscite.”

Star Observer has approached Malcolm Turnbull for comment and are awaiting his reply.

You May Also Like

6 responses to “LGBTI leaders urge Malcolm Turnbull to ditch plebiscite after Orlando shootings”

  1. Can we have a plebiscite/referendum please on becoming a Republic, foreign ownership, cannabis legalisation, euthanasia, GST increases to 15 percent and the death penalty for murders, hate crimes or terrorists instead?! Why waste $150 million of money on a marriage equality plebiscite, when the Australian Parliament can and should do there job, when it gets back to business in late September – can pass a bill straight into law.

  2. How about lobbying for a reduction of immigrants who adher to any hard line monotheist religions, a bill of rights enshrining Australia as a Secular (multi-faith) Democracy and ensuring immigrants coming here are in fact going to be supportive of and responsive to secularist values, it’s not that hard really, then we could look at ending the rort of tax exemption for religions and pour that money into housing Australia’s homeless.theres a huge back log that needs to be taken care of, that includes our indigenous people in dire need.
    There’s no need for a plebiscite there just needs to be a demand that politicians promote and support secular values and vote accordingly, it’s not their place to have their selfish little consciionce votes but to uphold Australia as a Secular Democracy

  3. Many who have experienced violence because of their sexuality know what it is to feel hated. The plebiscite has seen an increase in demand for mental health services as leaflets liken us to a danger with children, from radical and not so radical Christian groups, and some politicians who use their Public Office as the chorus. Orlando should be a wake up call to the Prime Minister. When people were whipped up into a frenzy their can be devasting consequences on good people. For example, what does society do to those who harm children? The Safe Schools program has been sexualising children we are told by members of the Turnbull government. Daily we have messages of hate. Some unhinged people actually listen to the crap. When politicians turn off the rainbow lights on our public buildings I really hope we see change, and not the gay panic that has led to the apartheid of a plebiscite.

  4. What a joke. It was ISLAM that led to this violence.

    This one ISLAMIC terrorist has killed more gay people than ALL HOMOPHOBIC ATTACKS IN THE USA IN THE LAST 50 YEARS COMBINED.

    wake up.

  5. Yes, the p0lebiscite should have been dumped by Turnbull the day he replaced Tony Abbott. This farce was developed by Abbott to get around his religion-based homophobia and the whole idea probably came from John Howard. Remember the abortion of a Referendum Howard conned us all with over the issue of the Republic? He deliberately set up that Referendum knowing it would fail and it was designed by him to do just that.
    This absurd Plebiscite was Abbott’s way of getting around the issue of Same Gender Marriage. The only difference is that, unlike Referenda, Plebiscites are NOT binding on any Government – of whichever colour. Referenda are binding.
    Even if this Plebiscite had been passed by all of the States and Territories with a 95% YES Vote, Abbott could simply have, and would have, ignored it.
    Malcolm Turnbull should simply get some back-bone, scrap this vastly expensive (reportedly costed at some $106 million) stupidity and then give an unconditional Guarantee that at the First Sitting of the New Parliament he will personally introduce the necessary legislation to change the Australian Marriage Act. This needs neither plebiscite nor Referendum.
    With the predicted make-up of both Houses and the commitments made by so many MPs and Senators we should have our Right to Marry in place before the end of September.