Katter says Baillieu Government 'giving with one hand while taking away with the other'
MELBOURNE: Victorian Australian Marriage Equality convenor and recent Fitzroy ALP branch recruit Carl Katter claims the Baillieu Government’s amending of the Victorian Equal Opportunity Act allowing faith based organisations to discriminate on the grounds of sexuality and gender difference and its recently announced intention to remove historic gay sex convictions points to an inconsistency of support for LGBT issues.
Last month Member for Prahran, Clem Newton-Brown, told MCV he was working on proposals for the Attorney-General for legislation removing convictions for consensual gay sex prior to 1981, when it was decriminalised in Victoria.
Last week, Katter (pictured) issued a statement saying that, while applauding Newton-Brown’s “correcting past injustices”, “he voted not once, but twice, to allow religious organisations the right to discriminate against the very same people”.
“These men may have their criminal records corrected, yet thanks to Newton-Brown and the Baillieu Government these men will still face discrimination by faith based organisations.
Katter said the Baillieu Government “appears to be giving with one hand while taking away with the other”.
“The member for Prahran must put his vote where his mouth is. If Clem Newton-Brown really did support the lesbian and gay community then why did he support his government’s legislation to allow discrimination against this vulnerable community?”
Newton-Brown told MCV it was “disappointing” Katter chooses to “play politics rather than working together for the GLBTI community”.
Newton-Brown said Labor governments in every state refused to expunge the criminal convictions, while the Baillieu Government is the first to seriously consider this issue.
Newton-Brown said he will conduct further consultation before presenting a proposal to the Attorney-General.
“I would welcome Mr Katter’s support and contribution rather than lobbing cheap political shots at me for the benefit of his new political career,” Newton-Brown said.
“As Mr Katter should be aware, the Equal Opportunity legislation in Victoria has, since its inception, set out numerous examples of where discrimination can be lawful. For example, a swimming pool may want to hold a women only session, or a counselling service for LGBTI people may wish to discriminate to only employ LGBTI counsellors, or a pub may wish to discriminate to only allow entry to gay men, or a Jewish school may wish to employ Jewish staff.
“All of these examples are legitimate under the Equal Opportunity legislation.
“Does Mr Katter object, for example, to the Sircuit Bar being permitted by VCAT to exclude women on a regular basis?
- Tags: Australian Marriage Equality, Baillieu Government, Carl Katter, Clem Newton-Brown, discrimination, Equal Opportunity Act, marriage equality, MCV, Same-sex Marriage
About the Author
Michael Magnusson
Michael has written for the gay media for over a decade and has also written for a number of journals, magazines and street presses around Melbourne and websites around the world.
Comments (16)
While I am not privy to the machinations of the gay lobby I have reservations about political parties and minority groups.
Greeks,Italians and Jews are used as tokenistic pawns for parties that make them look moderate.
They set up Multicultural Council groups etc to look good for that demographic .
Its called being smart and playing identity politics.
I applaud the likes of Carrington and The Montalbo Liberals who are changing the shift of the conservative vote and are great homocons.
However im very cynical of the party machine that will do anything to appeal to a gay constituency to serve their own agenda and numbers to win...
What about Michael Costa, Eddie Obeid, Ian Macdonald and Eric Rozendaal, all hailing from Labor's right, all ministers in the former NSW government, and all subject to investigation in the present ICAC inquiry? They all previously took the moral high-ground, opposing queer marriage and other equal legislation.
First off I am a member of the Liberal Party. Good, have we got that out of the way? OK.
Secondly yes this is a biased comment but hear me out. I have known Clem for little over 4 years now. The MP who is a heterosexual male of a strong GLBTIQ electorate has served the electorate profoundly.
Consistently pushed the Gay Marriage equality and in his maiden speech to parliament he dedicated the following:
“It is important to remember that in modern society families are no longer simply a man, a woman and their kids,”
“Families come in an endless range of permutations.
“While the Marriage Act is a piece of federal legislation, I hope that some time during my service in this house that we will provide in-principle support for our federal counterparts to find a way to amend the Marriage Act to become more fair, more equitable, and more just, such that the wonderful diversity of our community is accommodated in our social institutions.”
In parliament Calls of “hear, hear” were heard from both sides of the house.
Clem has committed and achieved the following for our community:
• Correct me if I am wrong but I believe he has been a regular participant in every Pride March since before his first pre-selection.
• A regular on Joy radio.
• Regularly attends Midsumma and events
• Strongly supports young and upcoming individuals who are gay and are Liberal members looking to bring about change
• Lobbied the Liberal education minister and spoke in Parliament to implore his government to fund the safe schools program which aims to prevent bullying of same sex attracted youths
• Influenced the Youth Affairs minister to provide funding of $200,000 to the Rainbow Network to tackle cyber safety over 4 years
• Supported new applications for funding GLBTIQ mental health initiatives
• Rebuked Margaret Court’s comments on homosexuality publicly and supported the Rainbow court protest
• Attended the same sex formal hosted by Minus 18 and Safe Schools Coalition
• And finally, more recently did wonderful work with Noel Tovey to correct an abhorrent law and reverse it’s affects on the elder GLBTIQ community and has help to propose legislation that will erase convictions of men who were prosecuted for consensual gay sex before the law was changed in 1981. Clem proactively sought the Attorney-General to enable this legislation
Clem has worked hard for the people of his electorate. It pleases me to hear of the wonderful achievements he has made.
So if you want to ‘judge’ Clem on what he has done. Start by looking at the wonderful achievements he has brought the community and the community that is behind him.
In politics there are times when all politicians may have to support the party as a whole so that in the future they work and influence their parties for the greater good. Clem Newton-Brown is true to his convictions and will support our community for a long time to come.
Clem voted to strip workplace projections from the Equal Opportunity Act. He decided to make the birth of GLBTI people a punishment, delivering less Civil Rights.
In some parts of Victoria, religious government funded businesses run some of the few government services such as for fostering a child. It is simply astonishing Clem Newton-Brown would turn back the clock for GBLTI Victorians. Our taxes pay his mortgage, for his food, and for his car.
Clem voted with Robert Clark, his Attorney General who told parliament homosexuality is a sick disease. He voted to discriminate against us in the provision of a range of services.
Looks like the trolls in Clem's office are at it again! How shameful! Clem has worked against the LGBTI community from the day he was elected yet thinks he can redeem himself with this one act? Good on Carl for having the balls to stand up to him! Shame on those Gay Liberals who work against our community!
What an amazingly one-eyed piece of ALP propaganda! Where is the condemnation of Julia Gillard and an actual member of the GLBTI community, Penny Wong, who have the EXACT same position as Newton-Brown? As the convenor of AME Victoria, why is Carl criticising someone who stood up in parliament to support marriage equality, which is more than Julia Gillard has ever done given she is opposed to marriage equality and supports religious exemptions. I bet Newton-Brown didn't meet with Jim Wallace as Julia Gillard did. It's about time Carl chose which hat to wear as he damages the marriage equality movement with his partisanship.
A quick google of Michael Tiyce shows he is a member of the East Sydney Liberal Party! Surprise, surprise! Where is the propaganda really coming from!?
Well done Carl. Someone needs to keep the libs on their toes!
I think we should judge Clem by what he has done. That is to strip us of workplace rights if we are employed by a government funded religious business. Sure he talks the talk, but does not walk the walk. Here is what his Attorney General told parliament in a hate speech.
Robert Clarke in parliament:
"I believe homosexual practices form a destructive way of life, destructive to the individual and destructive also to other individuals who are brought into that way of life. I suppose it is most readily demonstrable at a physical level; it is a physical fact that the human body is not designed for many homosexual practices and it is clear that physical problems follow from those practices."
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/libs-take-dim-view-of-homosexuals/2005/11/26/1132966006762.html
Now why does Clem not call on the resignation of Robert Clarke, or does his silence support Robert?
Thanks Dianne you just proved the point I was making.The issue is one of transparency-you know EXACTLY my position by a quick google search, while Carl is wearing an ALP hat and pursuing a political agenda he is not an appropriate banner holder for marriage equality and will only further divide the community. It's too important to be spoiled by the behaviour of one person.
As some one pointed out already Carl DID NOT refer to himself as the AME convenor!!! The newspaper did. You may also want to check - from what I have heard Carl stood down as AME convenor before this went to Print - HENCE why he sent the press release as "Carl" not as AME.
If you really stick by your comments then I expect to see more critique by you of other AME board members! Alex Greenwich who is a member of parliament and ran against the Liberal Party in Sydney is still on the board! Should he resign too?
Errr, better look up what Independent means !!
Well Dianne, the LNP in NSW created Get Clover laws, so I am sure they can come up with Get Alex laws. I expected that from some crackpot dictatorship-sending people back to the polls as you did not like their vote. Not NSW! I was astonished the most pressing need the LNP felt was to send people who had already voted back to the polls, as they did not and could not respect their freedom.
Michael,
I saw this media release on the email lists and Carl DID NOT call himself the Convenor of The Victorian AME. This was added in by the Gay News Network! Carl is hardly damaging the marriage movement!!? Just have a look at the board of AME federally! One member is a State MP and aligned (if not a member) of the Liberal Party, and another works for the Greens!
Clem Newton-Brown targeted GLBTI people for discrimination. He proudly voted to strip same-sex attracted Victorians of Civil Rights if they work for a government funded religious business. He turned back the clock many years. His record of hate and intolerance is clear to me. In some parts of Victoria, religious businesses provide the few government services. It is Clem-Newton Brown who is in government in Victoria, and it is his government that has a poor record. Even the LNP Robert Clarke told parliament homosexuality was a sick disease. There is a pattern in the LNP.
Couldn't have said it better, Michael. I really like Clem, he's doing great work. He dedicated his maiden speech on supporting marriage equality. I live in Prahran and always see him out and about. He's got my vote
Newton-Brown supported the amendment of the Victorian Equal Opportunity Act to allow faith based organisations to discriminate on the grounds of sexuality and gender difference. Had he crossed the floor or abstained from the vote, this injustice would have failed. Instead, the member for Prahran abandoned the Lesbian and Gay community and the amendment to allow discrimination got through on Newton-Brown’s vote!
Actions speak louder than words. Clem likes to speak about his support for Gay and Lesbian people in Prahran, yet when it comes to standing up against discrimination for our community he turns his back on us. I want a more consistent supporter of gay rights as my representative!