Prahran MP accused of betrayal
Victorian Opposition leader Daniel Andrews has chastised Prahran MP Clem Newton-Brown this week for twice voting in favour of legislation that effectively makes it easier for religious organisations to discriminate against gays and lesbians.
In a Facebook video as part of the Don’t Wind Back The Clock campaign, Andrews appears outside Newton-Brown’s Chapel St office, criticising the Prahran MP for ‘betraying’ the gay and lesbian community by supporting the Equal Opportunity Amendment Bill.
“If it’s good enough to say it on Chapel St, it ought to be good enough to do it on Spring St. If you support fairness, support it everywhere,” Andrews said.
“Fine speeches in Chapel St, fine speeches at the Pride March are no replacement for real action to support fairness, real action to support gay and lesbian Victorians.”
Newton-Brown rejected the criticism and said Andrews had used “grubby tactics” recording the film outside his electoral office.
“I’ve always been consistent with my comments to the gay community on this issue, and the fact of the matter is, the Equal Opportunity legislation was Coalition policy … prior to me being elected, which I had no capacity to influence or reverse,” Newton-Brown told the Star Observer.
“To suggest I have said something outside of Parliament that’s inconsistent with what I’ve said inside Parliament is just totally untrue.”
The Liberal MP said he would not comment on whether he personally supported the bill, but said the policy had already been determined in the party before his preselection.
“I can’t pick and choose Liberal Party policy,” he said.
“When you run as a member of a political party, you’re required to adopt the policies of the party. Now, there’s furious debate that goes on behind the scenes for a lot of policies, but ultimately this was a policy where the debate had been had.”
The Equal Opportunity legislation is now set for debate in the Upper House on June 14.
Although they won’t have the numbers to reject the bill, the Victorian Greens have vowed to amend it.
The Star Observer will feature a full-length interview with Andrews in next week’s issue.
rednecks with money vote..hmmmmmmmmmmm?
The Liberal Party has some wonderful “core values” on their website at http://vic.liberal.org.au/AboutUs/LiberalValues/tabid/201/Default.aspx. These include “equal rights” and an undertaking that laws should “not be used to create special privileges for sections of the community or organisations”.
They apparently don’t mean a word of it.
While Newton-Brown is busy quoting the Nuremberg Defence, perhaps he and his political bosses should rewrite their website.
I think it’s interesting to note the rampant rumours circulating in the Liberal Party regarding this retrograde legislation.
Many Liberals believe that Ted Bailleau gave his ‘blessing’ to Mary Wooldridge to miss the vote on the legislation – opening up the possibility of a Supreme Court challenge to it’s validity in due course.
Their view is that the Premier has plausible deniability with the dominant right conservative elements of his party, whilst at the same time – defeating the windback of EO protections without having to actually DO anything to stop it in the party room.
Personally, I think this is fanciful wishful thinking on their part – but afterall I am not a “Brick Veneer Wet” or a “Stockholm Syndrome Liberal” so I would have prefered ‘direct action’ from Mr Newton Brown and Ms Andrea Coote.
Clem has given good Jewish people a yellow star and us a pink triangle. For Jewish people are also now denied access to billions of dollars in tax payer services. They cannot work in the services, or receive many services.
Just as we all suffered in the holocaust, we are now relying on the generosity of strangers to help us.
Clem let himself down more then his party. He let all those that voted for him down, and he gave the worst excuse possible, “I was just following Orders”.
Spot on Sally Goldner – credit where it is due.
Our Lord Mayor, Mr Doyle is not a credible voice supporting the LGBTI community in practice… and my personal experience working with him, reinforced that fact.
It is indeed a pity that the “Midsumma Liberals” of yeasteryear are no more. Andrea Coote was a part of my group, and I am very disappointed with her support for this EO windback. Very disappointed indeed.
Jack Allison – spot on re Robert Doyle. Mr “queer photo opp” Doyle still doesn’t support trans police – even though Snr Constable Bernice Canty received a bravery medal for actions in the Black Saturday bushfires.
Unfortunately, what Mr Newton Brown is saying here, just isn’t true.
In 2002, I (openly gay Lib MP for Silvan) and Leonie Burke (the former Lib MP for Prahran) lobbied strongly for a change in Liberal policy, and successfully gained support for EO protections for LGBTI people, and for the Relationships Bill. We were known as the “Midsumma Liberals” who vowed to “Fight for You” – and we did so successfully, passing the legislation in the Liberal controlled Upper House.
Not only has Mr Newton Brown failed to fight, he decided not to exercise his constitutional right (under the Liberal Constitution) to abstain or cross the floor on an issue of conscience or importance to his electorate.
Those LGBTI Liberals who supported his election at the State Election have cause to reflect upon their conduct, and the negative consequences of it upon their own lives, and those of our whole community.
if you had to abide by your said party’s policy then they should just put a bunch of monkeys in their seats to make those pointless votes. Why do we even have a government if that’s how it works?
Clem is telling porkies – Liberal MPs can conscience vote (or cross the floor as it is otherwise known). They have done so on many occasions.
Only the Labour party’s constitution doesn’t allow this.
He either doesn’t have the courage to stand up for what he believes in, or he doesn’t actually believe in equality.
If the Liberal policy was to kill us and good Jewish people, by his logic he would vote for it. It is easy to be a coward, to follow party lines, to “follow orders”. He sleeps well at night knowing he is not a victim of the legislation. If you ask him he will simply say “I was following orders”.
Yah, its the oldest defense in the book.
“I was just following orders.”
No doubt he’ll b marching in pride this year and no doubt half the queens in this town will applaud him just like Robert Doyle (Melb. Lord Mayor) who has now taken 2 being photographed in the arms of drag queens just 2 show his queer credentials.
This was the same Robert Doyle who as former leader of the Vic Libs put every road block in front of Gay anti-discrimination and Gay relationship recognition. The part I enjoy most about Newton-Brown is that one of his heroes is Nelson Mandela.Mmmmmmmm, yah that really makes sense?!
Newton-Brown claims he cannot oppose party policy. Why not? Doesn’t he have a conscience?
He has cast his vote. Roll on the next election – his constituents will cast theirs.