Community loses supporter
The Pride History Group has paid tribute to former NSW Attorney-General Frank Walker who died in Sydney this week.
Walker was suffering from cancer and was aged 69.
The Pride History Group said the community is indebted to Walker for supporting early reforms which removed discrimination against gays and lesbians.
Group president Lex Watson, who worked with Walker on gay rights reforms, expressed “shock and sadness” at his death.
“The community has lost a strong advocate and friend,” Watson said.
Walker convened the Victimless Crimes Seminar from 1977 (with the backing of then premier Neville Wran) to reform the state’s Anti-Discrimination Act. The reforms served as a catalyst for the eventual decriminalisation of homosexuality in New South Wales.
During his time in office, Walker also helped secure funding for queer youth support group Twenty10.
Walker was elected to the state seat of Georges River in 1970 after working as a solicitor.
He was a strong mental health advocate, following the suicides of his two sons.
From the Gender Centre website …
In July 1983, Roberta Perkins met with Frank Walker, State Minister for Youth and Community Services, after he had read her recently published book, The “Drag Queen Scene”, a book based on a study that she had undertaken about the transgender sub-culture in Kings Cross.
During this time, the media had also become involved in the issues of transsexuals and had produced a documentary movie titled “Man into Woman”. This film had also highlighted the plight of transgender people in Sydney, particularly Kings Cross. Public awareness of the issues faced by transsexual people was most certainly on the rise.
But what had disturbed Walker about Roberta’s book the most was the semi-nomadic lives that young transgenders experienced, forced from their apartments by landlords and unable to get overnight residence in either a men’s or a women’s refuge. The problem of homelessness was significant and providing transsexuals with a safe refuge was crucial. Most refuge services at the time would not cater for transsexuals.
Walker’s words have never left her: “Roberta, we have got to find them a place where they can lay their heads at night.”
She made a submission for funding to open a refuge for transsexuals. Frank Walker approved this plan, two months later a cheque arrived addressed to Roberta and a house was provided as a refuge strictly for transsexuals. In October 1983 the doors opened at Morgan Street, Petersham, and its twelve bed spaces – two double-bunk beds in each of three bedrooms – were filled immediately.
On 14 December 1983 Frank Walker officially opened “Tiresias House”.
Tiresias House
The opening of Tiresias House was the A.T.A.s proudest moment, the name “Tiresias House” decided upon in honour of the hero in Greek mythology whose sex was changed by the gods from man to woman.
With the premises in Petersham being provided by the Department of Main Roads, Tiresias House became the first government funded service specifically for transgenders in Australia.
The first group of residents consisted of young transsexuals that had been traumatised by being cast out of their parental homes or had drifted around Kings Cross searching for identity roots but before long, Tiresias House found itself bursting at the seams with prospective residents and had to increase the available bed spaces to sixteen by turning the lounge room into a fourth bedroom.
Soon after Frank Walker’s department provided a second house located in Ashfield and a third house was also soon provided in Haberfield. By mid-1984 we had a structured residential system from short-to-medium term accommodation.
the article continues …
Vale Frank Walker.