Deputy PM Richard Marles Scraps Peter Dutton’s Ban On LGBT Morning Teas
Image: Leader of Opposition Peter Dutton (left) and deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles.
Australia’s new defence minister Richard Marles has scrapped his predecessor Peter Dutton’s ban on “woke” events like LGBTQI morning teas organised by Australian Defence Force employees.
Dutton, at present the Leader of the Opposition, had brought in the ban in May 2021 after the department held morning teas with staff wearing rainbow clothing to mark the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexphobia and Transphobia.
Dutton, then the Defence Minister, had got Defence Force Chief Angus Campbell and Secretary Greg Moriarty to issue a memo to ban such events.
“Defence represents the people of Australia and must at all times be focused on our primary mission to protect Australia’s national security interests. We must not be putting effort into matters that distract from this,” the note read.
“To meet these important aims, changing language protocols and those events such as morning teas where personnel are encouraged to wear particular clothes in celebration … are not required and should cease.”
Deputy PM Orders Ban To be Revoked
A new note issued by Campbell and Moriarty on August 23, overturned the ban on the direction of deputy prime minister and defence minister Marles, reported The Australian.
“Each year we recognise events of significance and importance. Many of these events contribute to our inclusive culture by acknowledging and promoting awareness of our diverse workforce. Last year a direction was issued in the DEFGRAM 221/2021 regarding how events of significance be conducted, including those activities which should cease. The Deputy Prime Minister has instructed that this direction be lifted, with effect 23 August 2022,” the mail to the staff read.
Wear it Purple and R U Okay Day may be one of the first few events to be celebrated by the defence staff, after the lifting of the ban.
‘Woke Agenda’
Last year, Dutton had justified the ban to The Sydney Morning Herald, saying, “we are not pursuing a woke agenda. Our task is to build up the morale in the Australian Defence Force and these woke agendas don’t help.”
In October 2021, the publication obtained emails written by employee groups under the Freedom of Information Act, where the staff had criticised Dutton’s “tone deaf” actions.
“To the LGBTIQ community and to particular members of Defence it must have been horrible to have a day that is meant to promote inclusivity and compassion singled out and deemed unnecessary,” one email said.
“LGBTI+ employees have been told before that their existence will undermine military ‘morale’ and distract or even threaten national security. It was then and is today a homophobic argument that has no basis in fact. Yet this view appears to be reappearing at the highest levels in Defence,” said an email written by the Community and Public Sector Union.
Is anyone really surprised that the leader of the Federal Liberals – good luck with that, Libs at the next federal Election – banned those Morning Teas which promoted Diversity, Equality within the Defence Department? Of course no-one is. Dutton cannot get it into his head that by acknowledging the existence of, and the supporting of, members of the GLBTIQ+ Community within the Defence department, the Army, Air Force and Navy simply acknowledges that, there are between 7%-10% of the members of Defence who are GLBTIQ+. and by doing so it makes us Normal Human Beings – not that we have ever been anything else – despite what pseudo-Christians, Jews and Muslims say about us.