Violence plans aim to lure the gay vote

Violence plans aim to lure the gay vote

Everyone has a plan to combat homophobic violence, it would seem, as council candidates do their utmost to secure the pink vote at next month’s local government election.

Clover Moore’s Independents team this week defended their proposal to declare Oxford St a homophobia-free zone against criticisms from opposing councillors and Labor’s mayoral candidate Meredith Burgmann, who announced her own strategy for reducing the crime rate.

Independents councillor Phillip Black this week defended his proposal to declare precincts as homophobia-free zones, an idea which was accepted by council on 4 August in a five-four vote.

The idea came under criticism from opposing Liberal councillor Shayne Mallard last week as being nothing but a money-wasting exercise, an idea which Black says is unfounded.

Do-nothing Mallard has totally missed the point of my proposal, Black said before admitting that there may have been some confusion over the proposal owing to the fact that he was ill the night it passed.

The use of the word -˜zone’ may have prevented some from realising that the proposal is to develop a strategy, not street signage. Such a strategy could incorporate a logo-based campaign using posters, stickers and drink coasters for businesses and badges and T-shirts for individuals.

Or, it could be more complex such as businesses declaring their premises homophobia-free zones in addition to the safe place.

These proposals and other strategies implemented by the Independents over the past four years were strongly criticised by Community Labor’s mayoral candidate Meredith Burgmann who declared she was deeply angered by Clover Moore’s party’s soft approach to addressing homophobic violence.

Community Labor will make it compulsory for pubs, clubs and bars submitting council development applications to detail how they will effectively manage their venues to ensure they are homophobia-free, she said.

In addition to this initiative, the Community Labor team is committed to funding extra police for the City -” police who are properly trained to deal with homophobic incidents.

These are real measures we will take to stamp out homophobia that is clearly within the council’s jurisdiction.

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8 responses to “Violence plans aim to lure the gay vote”

  1. Clover Moore’s groundwork is her record of supporting the gay community over the past twenty years….

  2. What are the fines for homophobic slurs? Where are the signs, “Homophobia Free Zone”? Its so easy for Clover Moore to declare this but wheres your groundwork?

  3. As others have said Clover Moore has done more for the gay and lesbian community over the last 20 years in Parliament than all the other contenders combined. Her councils recent actions in effectivly closing down that cesspit of violence T2 at Taylor square , stopping the expansion of The Gaff and and making DCM close at midnight ( upheld recently by the land and enviroment court ) will have real effects on ridding Oxford St of homophobic violence. Do nothing Mallard represents a party that has done nothing for our community but entrench the view that we are second class citizens.

  4. Clover Moore has done nothing at all to stop the violence on our streets. If anything, her policies have made things worse. Just look at the sort of ‘development’ that she has encouraged during her time as Lord Mayor. As for the liberals, it is a bit rich putting the blame on them – homophobia is more likely a religious-cultural phenomena, political parties are just followers of trends set by larger societal forces. In any event Mallard is a gay Liberal, so he is safely in the mainstream of political life in inner city Sydney.

  5. Clover Moore has done more to stop homophobic violence than any other politician. She has strongly spoken out on this issue over her entire term in parliment and as Lord Mayor. Can I just remind everyone, that she is not in charge of the NSW police force. That is a state government responsibility. The hypocrisy of Mallard and the liberals condemning homophobic is astounding…. The Liberals have denied gay people their basic rights for a long, long time. These policies have contributed to the homophobic violence with which we are afflicted. A vote for the Liberals = a vote for homophobia!!!

  6. Oh wow, some signage to “fix” the problem.

    As I walk past abandoned shops, darkened and degraded spaces, the stench of urine in the air, these surroundings invite anti social behaviour.

    CCTV cameras and a huge police presence won’t fix that. Scuttling from isolated venue to venue, Oxford street is not a welcoming or nice place to be.

    Message to Ms Moore. You’ve had 4 years and likely will get 4 more. Claiming a vision for Oxford street as a community space with art galleries and smart cafe’s is meaningless. You are responsible for making it happen – and there is no sign of an Oxford Street revival in sight.

  7. Giovanni and ( do nothing )Mallard. You liberal queens sure have some cheek!!The policies of your beloved liberal party over the last 12 years have entrenched in the view of some individuals that gay and lesbian people are of less value than their heterosexual fellow Australians . It is this thinking that leads to homophobia and violence .Clean up your own homophobic and backward backyard (liberal party) before you start dishing out stupid advice. eg. the council should be funding community police stations- Policing is a state government responsibility.

  8. It would be funny if it wasn’t so serious a matter. People are getting bashed up on and around Oxford St, and elsewhere because they are gay and Lord Mayor Clover Moore decrees that “we must stop it (homophobia) before it gets to that (violent) stage”. Newsflash: it has already gone way past that stage.
    There is so much the council COULD be doing to reclaim our streets but ISN’T – we need to fund more CCTV cameras and community policing stations. Council has the jurisdictional right to do this.
    So what’s more important? Playing the blame game with the state government or actually fixing the problem??