Tasmanian Premier Rejects Calls From Anti-Trans Groups To Weaken Anti-Discrimination Laws

Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff has ruled out changes to the state’s Anti-Discrimination Act following calls from anti-trans campaign group Women Speak Tasmania to amend protections for transgender and gender diverse people.

The comments came during question time in the Tasmanian Parliament after independent Clark MP Kristie Johnston asked whether the government would support changes to the legislation.

“We stand with all Tasmanians, and we’ve got no plans to change the Anti-Discrimination laws,” Rockliff told parliament.

Women Speak Tasmania has lobbied MPs to amend the Anti-Discrimination Act so discrimination would be prohibited on the basis of “biological sex” rather than gender, and to ban trans women from women’s services and sport.

Equality Tasmania spokesperson Rodney Croome welcomed the Premier’s statement.

“Tasmania’s Anti-Discrimination Act has protected trans and gender diverse people from unfair treatment for almost thirty years without the sky falling in, so we see no reason it should be changed now,” Croome said.

“Tasmania’s women’s services and sports groups have included trans women for many years, exposing as false the claim that trans women pose some kind of threat to other women.”

“Prohibiting discrimination on the narrow ground of biological sex would provide less protection for women and girls than the current ground of gender, so we oppose it.”

“We welcome Premier Rockliff’s sensible decision to keep the Anti-Discrimination Act intact and thereby ensure all Tasmanians are equally protected from unfair treatment.”

Kristie Johnston said she welcomed the Premier’s commitment to maintaining the legislation.

“I welcome the Premier’s commitment to preserve our Anti-Discrimination Act, as forces lobby to change it and undermine Tasmania’s proud inclusive culture,” Johnston said.

Johnston said Women Speak Tasmania had asked MPs to sign a pledge to ban trans women from “single-sex space, services and sports”.

“This would be a radical change from decades of inclusive practices in Tasmania,” she said. “It flies in the face of strong support for inclusion by Tasmania’s women’s service providers and community sporting organisations.”