Protest over Tasmanian anti-gay ads
Tasmanian activists have hit back at election advertisements claiming transgender equality would ruin society and same-sex marriage is destructive, urging the state’s Anti-Discrimination Commissioner to ban the material ahead of state elections this Saturday.
Half-page advertisements claiming the Tasmanian Greens’ progressive transgender and intersex policies would ruin our families and societies and bankrolled by a conservative Christian group appeared in Tasmanian newspapers earlier this month.
The ads were placed by Tasmanian farmer Roger Unwin, who allegedly told news website Crikey he was a member of the Exclusive Brethren, an international religious organisation that strictly follows the bible’s teachings.
The Exclusive Brethren allegedly funded conservative campaigns in the last federal election and in the United States and New Zealand.
Meantime, the Tasmanian Liberal Party has also hit out at gay rights, circulating a separate election flyer labelling The Greens’ support for same-sex marriage socially destructive.
Hobart transgender activist Martine Delaney lodged complaints about the material with the Tasmanian Anti-Discrimination Commissioner this week.
She has asked the Commissioner to place an injunction on the material to stop it being circulated.
It’s quite clear to me that the ads and the pamphlet -¦ incite hatred and ridicule of transgender and same-sex couples, Delaney told Sydney Star Observer.
Delaney also led about 15 protesters carrying a love makes a family placard outside Liberal Party headquarters in Hobart on Tuesday.
We’re not pawns to be used in scoring political points by anybody, she told the Star.
Greens MP Nick McKim -“ who introduced an unsuccessful state same-sex marriage bill in Tasmanian parliament last year -“ welcomed Delaney’s campaign.
We need to address hysteria and homophobia wherever they exist, McKim told the Star.
We’re very supportive of Martine Delaney’s decision to refer these matters to Tasmania’s Anti-Discrimination Commission.
Tasmanian Liberal leader Rene Hidding told ABC News he stood by the election flyer.
The Liberal Party did not return a request for further comment before the Star went to press last night.
