Activist, Labor in rights stoush

A war of words has begun between activist Peter Furness and Labor MPs Tanya Plibersek and Anthony Albanese, with Furness accusing the pair of failing the gay community and the politicians branding the activist irrelevant.

In a bitter tirade reported on the Crikey news website last week, Furness alleged Plibersek and Albanese had failed on gay rights, despite representing two heavily gay and lesbian electorates.

Furness, from lobby group Australian Marriage Equality, stood by the claims this week.

Those two MPs in particular represent the gayest electorates in the country by a very large margin, Furness, a former Labor deputy mayor of South Sydney Council, told Sydney Star Observer.

When you compare their activity with stands taken by Coalition MPs on other issues, they don’t reflect very well on them. I’m talking about crossing the floor, I’m talking about standing up and being counted, he said.

If these MPs won’t take public stands for their very large gay and lesbian constituencies, why would any other Labor MP feel any pressure to do so?

Plibersek and Albanese strongly rejected Furness’s claims.

I don’t pay any attention to what Peter Furness says and I don’t think very many people who actually know what’s going on in gay and lesbian politics pay very much attention to what he says either, Plibersek told the Star.

I don’t really think that his opinion is an accurate reflection of what’s going on.

Plibersek, the federal member for Sydney, said she had consistently spoken up for gay rights, introducing private member’s bills on health care and immigration and advocating for gay and lesbian constituents.

I just think Peter Furness is guided more by his personal bitterness than he is by any rational assessment of gay and lesbian politics or of the Labor party, Plibersek said.

Grayndler MP Anthony Albanese said he was also a long-term supporter of the gay community in parliament.

Part of Peter Furness’s comments reflect perhaps his disappointment that he joined the Labor party and everyone hasn’t dropped off to support his agenda, Albanese told the Star.

I think it’s extraordinarily counterproductive for someone who purports to be an advocate for achieving reform, to attack people -¦ who are advocates for reform. I can’t quite work out what the strategy there is.