Pollies’ pink courting

Candidates vying for the gay and lesbian vote are making themselves visible ahead of the NSW election later this month, but policies and reforms are harder to find.

Neither major party has released a policy on gay and lesbian issues for the 24 March ballot; instead, each held meet-and-greets with inner-city candidates targeted at the gay and lesbian community.

Liberal candidate for Sydney, Edward Mandla, left community members bemused when he held a fundraiser at Stonewall Hotel but did not discuss any gay and lesbian issues.

I want to bring members of the gay community back into the conversation; they’re creative, intelligent people and we need to hear about their thoughts for the future of this state, Mandla said.

Policy took a similar back seat to inclusive rhetoric at a Rainbow Labor function last week for party faithful to meet their local candidates Marrickville MP Carmel Tebbutt, Sydney candidate Linda Scott and upper house candidate Helen Westwood.

Lesbian upper house member Penny Sharpe spoke of the difficulties in passing legislative reform on gay and lesbian issues.

It’s no good just introducing a bill if it’s not going to pass, she said. Unfortunately that means working with the likes of David Clark and Fred Nile.

But it’s worth remembering that every piece of gay and lesbian law reform in NSW has taken place under a Labor premier.

In contrast the minor parties and independents have been openly courting the gay and lesbian community with specific legislative agendas for the next parliament.

The Greens held a forum Tuesday for community members to discuss sexuality and gender-identity law reform.

Upper house member Lee Rhiannon outlined policies including state-based relationship recognition, adoption rights and removing religious and small business exemptions from anti-discrimination laws.

However, the small crowd in attendance chose to focus on transgender issues and civil unions.

Clover Moore’s community visibility hasn’t waned in her 19-year history in the NSW parliament, and once again she will be one of the politicians marching in this year’s Mardi Gras parade.

Moore has promised to continue pushing for relationship recognition and adoption rights.

To help voters decide, David Scamell from the Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby said questionnaires would be given to candidates covering state-based gay and lesbian issues, with the results to be published on the Lobby’s website.

And the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Business Association will host a debate between the candidates for the new seat of Sydney on Wednesday 21 March, 6:30pm, at Sheraton on the Park Hotel.

Mandla, Scott and Moore will be joined by Greens candidate Chris Harris at the debate.