City of Casey councillor Rosalie Crestani defends proposal to ban LGBTI promotion
THE City of Casey councillor who will introduce a motion in tonight’s council meeting, which calls for a ban on council to do, offer or promote anything LGBTI-related, has defended her intentions.
Cr Rosalie Crestani’s (pictured above) motion says sexual orientation is a “private issue”, and that to address it would be “special treatment” when council “should serve all residents equally”.
Her motion called for council’s public relations department to stop issuing media releases relating to sexual orientation or anything LGBTI-related, that council staff’s LGBTI diversity training should stop, that signs by Gay and Lesbian Health Victoria (GLVH) should be taken down, and that council committees should not be used to promote LGBTI-vested interest. (See motion in full at end of story)
According to the 2011 Census, the City of Casey — located in the south-east of Melbourne’s metropolitan area — is the most populous local government area in Victoria and the seventh most populous in Australia.
Crestani, who is a member of the Rise Up Australia party and an upper house candidate in next weekend’s Victorian state election, said she wanted her motion to succeed because she did not want council to be favouring anyone.
She said that by singling out the LGBTI community and offering services or promoting events that cater to them, council was also discriminating against the heterosexual community.
“It shouldn’t be one group over another,” she told the Star Observer during a phone interview today.
“I just want equality for all. By singling someone out, you’re paving the way for discrimination.
“We are continuing to discriminate against the heterosexual community if we go down that path.”
Crestani also told the Star Observer that she believes City of Casey was not “a place to discuss sexual orientation”, a matter she thinks belongs “behind bedroom doors”.
Recently the City of Port Phillip, which is also in Melbourne’s metropolitan area, was awarded the Rainbow Tick — an accreditation developed by GLVH that was awarded to the council for participating in LGBTI awareness training with revising policies and procedures to be more inclusive and LGBTI-friendly.
Crestani also spruiked her work with disabled people and her work on mental health issues, but told the Star Observer she did not believe the LGBTI community was marginalised.
“They are equal. If we singled them out, we’re also isolating them,” she said.
She also said that if residents wanted LGBTI-specific services such as GLVH, they had “every democratic right” to access them — but outside the City of Casey.
When pressed with questions about the lack of marriage equality, the legal loopholes a trans* person must navigate while gender transitioning, homophobia and transphobia, and the disproportionate rates of mental health issues among LGBTI people — especially young people living in the suburbs — Crestani hung up on the phone.
Melbourne-based LGBTI youth advocacy group Minus18 said Crestani’s motion was “a massive step in the wrong direction”.
“Her motion would see the City of Casey stop advocating for its LGBTI residents,” partnerships manager Tim Christodoulou said.
“It would see the great work of organisations like Gay and Lesbian Health Victoria removed from all council buildings. It would see all council staff stop undertaking essential diversity training to better engage with Casey’s LGBTI residents. It would leave LGBTI residents without a voice and without a council that stands up for them.”
Christodoulou also expressed concern at what sort of impact Crestani’s motion would have on Casey’s young LGBTI residents.
“If Cr Crestani’s motion succeeds, it will send a very clear, very loud message to LGBTI young people living in Casey – that your sexual and gender identity is wrong,” he said.
“The impact that message could have on a young person coming to terms with their sexuality or their gender identity can’t be overstated – it would be devastating.”
Christodoulou added that some of Minus18’s biggest supporters come from local governments.
“The role that councils play in building inclusive, accepting communities is vital, and it’d be great to see people like Cr Crestani devoting more of their time to engaging the local community rather than shutting out and marginalising a major part of it,” he said.
On Twitter, the Victorian Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby expressed hope that the motion would fail, thanks to the “inclusive open minds” of other City of Casey councillors.
Cr Crestani’s full motion, to be tabled in council meeting tonight:
As I said “idiot”
Oh dear very sad that a young woman educated in Australia holds such views
We must do more to educate people
Once upon a time you would have represented your constituents……..Well not anymore. Your church/cult views are more important. Your ulterior motive is to ban everything that does not fit in with “cult teaching”. Shame on you for misrepresenting who you are……………….is that fraud
Or maybe she’s just another idiot
Dimwitted bitch.
Promoting or supporting special events for LGBTI people discriminates against heterosexuals in the same way that promoting or supporting special events for children discriminates against adults, promoting or supporting special events for the disabled discriminates against able bodies people, promoting or supporting events such as Christmas discriminates against non Christians and so on.
Let’s just call it what it is – homophobia, plain and simple. If this woman can’t represent ALL the people in her constituency, she must resign or be sacked and she sure as hell doesn’t deserve a place in State Parliament so that she can spread her anti gay message further.
She should be dismissed as a Councilor she is a disgrace
I think she also needs to go back and do year 11 legal studies again – of course local government is covered by state laws.
She is also running for the state election. #publicitystuntforsure
Bogen alert.
[email protected]
What a freakin ignorant loser.
So, do I take it she is against promoting, say, any service for Children’s Health (vaccinations, maybe) – discriminating against adults is so bad? Is she against mental health promotions which might be providing a service which people without mental issues cannot use? Does she wish the council to cease promoting services for the aged because the middleaged are not eligible for them? One good thing – this issue could well (hopefully) put paid to any chance she has of getting into state politics.
Good Grief!!!
A Sydney City Councillor walks into a bar …
Wouldn’t have a clue Brendan. I don’t get involved with council issues. I wouldn’t even know who our local council rep is or when we have to vote…..which would explain why I have been fined twice for not voting. Sorry I couldn’t help
Just checking :)
I just looked her up, emailed her and all of her council ahead of tonight’s vote. I also cc’d my mayor and local Councillors. I’m furious. Go on people let them know how you feel.
Cr Crestani needs to pull her head out of her ass and focus on the more important issues
I’m pretty sure Putin has room for her in his government somewhere.
DirectorPrisons Nof
Director of Prisons and Torture Chambers, Russia
Moron!!!! But then again – it’s Casey… It’s full of morons….
And idiot in parliament what a SUPRISE!!!!
There are two ways to read this article. On the one hand, could she be saying that by having separate services creates division and discrimination in the community? For example, if I need a doctor and visit the GLHV, will I be refused treatment because I’m heterosexual? (Discrimination can go both ways)
Or, maybe she is just a homophobe.
I honestly think a GLHV wouldn’t turn you away I think she is just being very small minded.
If a GLHV was to turn someone who likes the opposite sex away then they should be report for discrimination.
So maybe that’s the point. If any health professional (non specific to sexual orientation) wouldn’t turn anyone away, why the need for segregation of sorts? I’m not saying I agree or disagree with the article, just providing another perspective.
I do see that point Jen. GLHV professionals are there because they are specifically trained on LGBTI issues and health care. If general practice professionals were to be trained in LGBTI issues then we probably wouldn’t need GLHV and hopefully one day we don’t.
This is part of the theater of elections. Its a tasteless stunt to gain attention for her party
Sadly a lot other idiots that probably don’t live in her ward or electorate will attend the council meeting ,hopefully they don’t swing any others to vote her way
LGBTI youth and adults are not seeking “special treatment. We have these resources put in place simply because our community are at high risk.
A survey done looking at LGBTI mental health in Australia shows that 19% of LGBTI youth and adults suffer from depression that’s more compered too their heterosexual peers at 6%. Transgender or gender queer suffer 50–60% compared to others who identified as their assigned sex at birth of 6%.
We need these services and people trained specifically on LGBTI mental health. By saying that we are discriminating against Heterosexuals is wrong. For many years we have has to sit back and use these services that are primarily set up for the straight community.
This woman is wrong and it’s a shame that a woman in council and or government that is so young would have these views.
My statistics are backed up here: http://nrha.org.au/11nrhc/papers/11th%20NRHC%20Arnold_Mandy_D4.pdf
According to its own website, the Rise Up Australia Party is a conservative Christian political party opposed to women’s reproductive rights, LGBTI marriage rights and multiculturalism. They appear to biblical literalists.
Frightening !!!
Guessing she likes churches and arcs and shit
Lee Ancilleri is she in your area?
Obviously a nutter
Unbelievable….. we just watched the movie ‘Pride’ on the weekend – maybe she should. That was 30 years ago and here we still are…
She should look up the definition of ‘discrimination’ and how to build a time machine, because she does not belong in this century.