Pratt concedes defeat, labels Bullock as “homophobic”

Pratt concedes defeat, labels Bullock as “homophobic”
Image: The Australian Senate heard an inquiry into intersex issues for the first time ever this year.

WESTERN Australian Labor Senator Louise Pratt has conceded defeat in the recent WA Senate re-election; but not before labelling her replacement as “deeply homophobic”.

Senator Pratt, a long time LGBTI rights advocate who is in a relationship with trans* man Aram Hosie, was the ALP’s number two candidate in the Senate re-run.

“It is a blow to progressive voters that I would be replaced in the Senate by someone who I have known for many years to be deeply homophobic, to be anti-choice, and has recently emerged disloyal to the very party he has been elected to represent,” Pratt told media in Perth.

She added that being placed behind Bullock on the Senate ticket for WA meant she felt like she had “every day of campaigning with my arms tied behind my back”.

Pratt said that a deal between the conservative and influential Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA) and United Voice was what left her in the number two spot and that this showed the ALP needed reform when it came to its ties with union groups.

“The leadership of the SDA have consistently used their bloc to preselect members of Parliament who are anti-marriage equality and who are anti-choice. And I do not believe that this reflects the views of the membership,” she said.

Last week, United Voice WA secretary Carolyn Smith said they no longer viewed Bullock as fit to represent the ALP in the Senate, and there were calls for Bullock to step down after it was revealed he had made homophobic comments during a speech to a Christian organisation late last year.

However, Bullock refused to resign but he apologised to Pratt for calling her a “poster boy” for LGBTI rights in the speech.

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8 responses to “Pratt concedes defeat, labels Bullock as “homophobic””

  1. Bob brown was incredible man, he was a moderate hard working man that gave and taked as well and worked well with labor, this whole saga is just another boot into labor and a smoke screen for the coalition to cut the pensions, health and education, because of one man you are condemning labor as a gay bashers which I don’t think they are, yes they have made mistakes some beauty’s but that’s any party, don’t forget Gillard had a conscious vote for equality gay marriages, brang in the carbon and mining taxes, but now with everyone voted liberals in this state we going to be hit hard with pension cuts and probably the rise of gst our mysgonist prime minister has delivered for loyal perth voters, time to let it go and attack the liberals before it’s too late

  2. I think joining Joe Bullock, and laying the boot in Louse Pratt, a campaigner who has worked hard for our community, is an unnatractive look. The fact is Joe is not supporting equality, and Bill Shorten has crafted a party that is not capable of deliverying equality, because of some horrifically homophobic Union influence. Before some Union thug goes after Bob Brown with a baseball bat, I hope they understand some history. Bob was spat on, on the street, because of his sexuality, he was driven out of his house, because of his sexuality. Labor would not accept him, because of his sexuality, so he started his own party. He was a GP, in Tasmania, and spent his life working for our rights. He saw patients, others would not, because of their sexuality. If bagging GLBTI people is the best that can be done, I mean really? Turning on even Louise Pratt? Penny Wong is now reduced to a lonely voice, in a very large party. How did that happen? Because of the Catholic SDA Union. They are still trying to get rid of Penny. If no action is taken against the Catholic SDA Union, in time they will succeed, especially judging by the support Shorten is giving the Union.

  3. What has louise pratt done for Western Australia, you and everyone has to let it go, joe apologised that’s it, what I know we have a lesbian in senate penny Wong, so you can’t say the party is homophobic because of one man opinion that’s slander, who does the green have other than bob brown, penny can smack joe done I’m sure, labor has to stick together to bring down the government don’t unravel and lose focus, nothing is wrong with the unions they made this country strong.

  4. Labor is contaminated with a homophobic toxin. Pratt has become the victim, while a cheer squad of Labor haters laugh. Bill Shorten should be ending homophobia, not cheering it on. Factional mates are worth more then introducing equality, and ending the rampant homophobia that we have witnessed. The Premiere of SA said he would resign, if one of Bill’s homophobic mates are allowed as a member in the state parliament. The Premiere understands homophobia, and in one brief moment demonstrated the standards that Bill Shorten is unable to find in himself. Because Shorten is about power, no matter what damage he does. His regular meetings with the SDA Union are a disgrace to Labor. We have a situation where the Greens do not support homophobia, or transphobia, but Labor does. The Greens support equality, Labor does not. labor fucks us over with Bill Shorten and Bullock, the Greens do not. Labor is unable to deliver equality while it stacks the party with some horrifically homophobic people.

    All the good work, some great people in Labor have done, is being undermind by Bill Shorten and his catholic SDA Union mates. Bill Shorten has broken the Labor Party machine allowing counterfeit members to have power. I would have though Bill Shorten has a secret membership of the Greens, as he seems to send a lot voters their way.

  5. The greens are weak, you didn’t support the ets or the Malaysia deal for more refugee to come into australia where labor supported carbon tax and help the green into government you backstabbed labor and can someone tell me what louise pratt stood for and fought for wa.

  6. Last nights 7.30 report was first about the resignation of the premiere, and secondly the extraordinary selection of Joe Bullock. How Bill Shorten was warned a year ago by Pratt, about his homophobia. It is astonishing to also hear, Joe Bullock had previously chosen his wife fir a Labor seat.

    I mean seriously? This is how the party operates, homophobia is an important value to have at the senate level? You go nuts about the sexuality of Labor members, and still have a job. You give your family seats? The reason the media has gone on and on about this is because most of the public are simply not impressed, and neither were voters in WA.

    So life under Bill Shorten, will never achieve full equality. I can see why many flock to the Greens in WA.

  7. Who cares about bill the only way joe can go if he resigns, this is the problem with labor to stick together and bring down the government, louise pratt is looking like sour grapes whinging she didn’t get in god we could be putting shit on the government for treating the journalist like she was dumb but no we have to talk about louise for not getting in, unions are apart of labor, labor should be with the unions.

  8. It is a million steps backwards by the Warlord Bill Shorten. Gillard could roll people into parliament, and roll them out. Bill is looking after Bullock, a team mate from the right. How can Labor have homophobia, as value of a senator? Where are the basic standards and vetting of people, who will hold a lot of power over our life? Power, as a factional Warlord, at all costs, is a deeply destructive look for the party, and WA voters gave the party a bloody hiding. Bill Shorten has plunged the party status, in WA, to a minority party. Bullock did not appear out of nowhere, as Pratt said, his views were well known. So it is astonishing, given this was a bi-election, and the time everyone had to prepare, Shorten did nothing to stop the elevation of homophobia in the party. Bill has regular meetings with the SDA Union, as they are his power base, so Union boss, Joe Bullock, was well known to Bill Shorten. Keeping Bullock, for just one more vote, is not worth the hurt and pain to the party, and Australia. Bullock even said he does not always vote Labor, and will never vote for equality. A great opportunity has been lost to have Pratt. All the hard yards she did for our community, and Australia, has been thrown away by Shorten, as he clings to Bullock, for the sake of power, at all costs. And if course, looking after the team.

    The far Right Catholic SDA Union has a long history of churning out homophobic and transphobic candidates. In panic mode, Bill Shorten has offered to make the party a tad democratic, but this is just lipstick on a bulldog. It hardly touches extreme unions. It is just a destraction. Bill Shorten was not chosen by a majority of members, Anthony Albonese was. Anthony offered a binding vote on marriage equality, and it says a lot about Bill Shorten, that the Warlord does not want this for party. Well earth to Bill, where was a conscience vote when our troops were sent to war? In so many things, Bill does not want a conscience vote. So it is odd, when it comes to Civil Rights for GLBTI folk, Bill has some sort of panic. A conscience vote is hardly effective if Bill lets the SDA boys off the hook.

    I am looking at the strange values of Bill Shorten, and I find it absurd that he does not start the process to remove Bullock from power. Perhaps, even, homophobic. I know Bill says he now supports marriage equality, but if he stacks the party with his strange bed fellows, the Labor Party, despite some of the terrific people, has no machinery or mechanism to deliver.