Gay Brisbane MP Stephen Bates Slams Labor For Axing Pre-Election Commitment To LGBT Community

Out gay Greens Brisbane MP Stephen Bates has slammed the Anthony Albanese government and accused Labor of cutting back on their pre-election commitments to protect the LGBTQI community.

“At a time when LGBTIQA+ people, particularly the trans and gender diverse community, are being subjected to growing hate, threats and extremism, the removal of Labor’s pre-election positions are unconscionable,” Bates said in a press statement on Friday. 

Earlier this week, Labor released its new draft national platform ahead of the ALP’s National Conference scheduled to be held in Brisbane from August 17-19, 2023. 

LGBTQI policy advocate and blogger Alastair Lawrie first pointed out that the new draft did not include Labor’s previous commitment to enact anti-vilification laws to protect LGBTQI communities. 

Instead, Lawrie said, the plan now had a vaguely worded, generic statement that said “Labor will work closely with LGBTIQ+ Australians and advocates to develop policy that meets the specific needs of the community to ensure equality with broader Australian society.”

Neo-Nazis Targeting LGBTQI Communities

The draft ALP National Platform released for public consultation this week has gone backwards, again, on LGBTIQ policy commitments.

This is especially disappointing at a time when our community is under escalating attack. #auslaw #auspolhttps://t.co/Nmf2Bw0SzG

— Alastair Lawrie (@alawriedejesus) May 31, 2023

According to Lawrie, what made it worse was that the draft plan retained a commitment to bring in religious vilification laws. “This is especially disappointing at a time when our community is under escalating attack,” Lawrie posted on Twitter. 

While Labor claimed it was a draft plan, Greens MP Bates, challenged the party  “to publicly affirm their commitment to use all levers available to them – like convincing their local branches, state branch delegates and affiliated unions – to amend the platform.”

“Between Labor’s pre-election National Platform in 2021 and today’s, we have witnessed a national hate tour and neo-Nazi rally against trans and gender-diverse Australians, and attacks and threats of violence against Drag Story Times and artistry,” Bates said. 

‘LGBTQI Community Deserves Better’

They've removed their commitments to:
❌strengthen laws against discrimination and vilification on basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or sex characteristics
❌recognise bodily autonomy of ppl with intersex characteristics and the banning of harmful medical intervention

— Stephen Bates (@stephenbatesmp) June 2, 2023

Over the past few months, queer and drag storytime events have been targeted by far-right and neo-Nazi groups in Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia. 

“We are experiencing a storm of social media abuse and harmful national debate about our right to exist and live with equality, respect and safety,” said Bates, adding, “It is deeply concerning that these changes could be the basis of Labor introducing their version of the Morrison-era Religious Discrimination Bill next year. Such a Bill could well permit, in law, vilification against LGBTIQA+ people and several other cohorts under the guise of religious freedom.”

“I condemn Labor’s removal of these commitments in their new National Platform in the strongest possible terms. Our LGBTIQA+ community in Australia deserves better than Labor’s erasure of our identities and our struggles,” said Bates, reiterating Greens’ commitment to stand with LGBTQI community and protect their rights. 

Labor Accused Of ‘Betraying’ LGBTQI Communities

Just.Equal spokesperson Rodney Croome accused the Labor government of “betrayal”. 

“At a time when vilification against our community is on the rise it is a betrayal for Labor, a party with a supposedly strong commitment to social justice and equality, to drop its commitment to national LGBTIQA+ anti-vilification protections,”Croome said.

Trans advocate and Just.Equal spokesperson Sally Goldner expressed disappointment at Labor apparently weakening its commitments to the LGBTQI community. 

“Labor has caved in to the bullies by abandoning its commitment to affordable health care,” Goldner said in a statement. 

 “We need stronger leadership from the Government if we are to stem the tide of anti-trans hate. It is also very disappointing to see Labor back down from its previous commitments to the rights of intersex people, especially as jurisdictions like the ACT move toward greater protection of those rights.”