Labor’s new A-G serious about gays

The resignation of Labor’s Kelvin Thomson has opened the way for a new shadow attorney-general with a track record of supportive rhetoric for gay and lesbian couples.

Last year Senator Joe Ludwig spoke out in support of then attorney-general Nicola Roxon’s draft sexuality discrimination bill.

It provides a clear and comprehensive path to removing long overdue discrimination at the commonwealth level and aims to combat harassment and incitement to violence on sexuality or gender identity, Ludwig told the senate.

It does demonstrate Labor’s commitment to this important issue.

Ludwig told Sydney Star Observer he would have his policy out well before the election.

This is an area of policy that I have always taken very seriously, and I want to take the opportunity to meet with the relevant constituencies before moving to finalise Labor’s position, Ludwig said.

Rod Swift from Australian Coalition for Equality said Ludwig’s elevation was a promising move, and noted the senator had regularly raised concerns about discrimination during senate debates.

He’s strongly spoken out in support of equality and having a comprehensive law reform regime, Swift said.

We think that’s encouraging, certainly, to have someone so outspoken on this issue, who’s said more than the previous two shadow attorney-generals, who might be willing to continue working on this issue in office.

Noting that Warren Entsch was set to retire at the next federal election, which could see his much-reported reforms shelved, Swift said he hoped Ludwig would take up the issue starting with Roxon’s draft bill.

One could say that neither party has a good track record on these matters, he said. We need to see concrete plans. Merely saying they support us is a good thing, but actually doing something is a better thing.

Swift advised members of the gay and lesbian community to write to Ludwig to remind him of important issues, including relationship recognition.