Hobart Council set to apologise

Hobart Council set to apologise

Hobart City Council is set to make an historic apology this week to Tasmanian gays and lesbians for banning a law reform stall at Salamanca Markets in 1988 and for the subsequent arrests as protests flared.

The Tasmanian Gay Law Reform Group established the stall to gather signatures and support for decriminalising homosexuality and to fight for gay rights.

The Council banned the stall, resulting in heated protests and 130 arrests over a seven-week period.
Tasmania was the last state in Australia to abolish anti-homosexuality laws, however, it has since gone on to become a leader in anti-discrimination laws and was the first state in Australia to establish a relationship register.

Marking the 20th anniversary of the end of the arrests, it is thought to be the first apology of its kind to the gay and lesbian community in Australian history.

Lord Mayor Rob Valentine will deliver the apology at a civic reception to those arrested as well as to council officers made to enforce the council’s decision against their wishes.

A photographic exhibition of the events will also be opened on the day.

Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group spokesman Rodney Croome, who was arrested four times during the protests, said it was a traumatic time for those involved and an apology will help reconciliation.

-œThe apology is also important because when public authorities say sorry for past discrimination they make discrimination less likely to happen again, he said.

The Hobart City Council voted in favour of the proposal in June, lead by Deputy Lord Mayor Eva Ruzicka, who was arrested and held for seven hours during that period.

-œThe police actually wore rubber gloves. That was the most shocking part of the entire experience. They actually put on latex gloves to handle us, that was the level of ignorance about HIV/AIDS that was existing in Tasmania at the time, she said in June.

The gay rights stall is still part of the Salamanca Markets.

You May Also Like

Comments are closed.