Tamara Frewen, a candidate in the City of Albany local government elections, has denied that she compared the flags flown during Albany’s annual Pride Festival to the flags of the Third Reich in Nazi Germany in a social media comment.
Frewen made the comment on OUTinPerth’s Facebook page in response to a story about recognised Neo-Nazi Stephen Wells running for council in Busselton.
Posting an image of the banners for the Albany Pride Festival from 2025 alongside a picture of the Swastika flag adorned across the front of buildings in Germany in 1939, Frewen said people needed to look back at history.
“I think everyone needs to have a look back in history and not just believe what we have been told ! If you want to follow ‘history’ spot the difference! IMHO” The political candidate wrote sharing her humble opinion.
Current City of Albany Councilor, and former state politician Lynn MacLaren gave Frewen an answer, responding “Let’s see, one is a flag of celebration of diversity, the other is a symbol of brutality, genocide, homophobic hatred, violence and murder on a global scale. Did I get it?”
Frewen answered MacLaren comparing the two banners, “Pride banner, Nazi banner — once you’re forcing it into every space, it’s not about pride or patriotism anymore, it’s about power.”
Tamara Frewen has listed “removing woke ideologies from public spaces” as her top priority on her candidate profile for the October election. Frewen is a member of the Keeping Children Safe Albany group that has been campaigning against the city’s popular Pride festival.
Tamara Frewen says she is not comparing Albany Pride and Nazi Germany
In a statement to OUTinPerth Frewen died she was drawing any comparison between Albany Pride and the perpetrators of the holocaust.
“I strongly reject the false claim that I compared Albany Pride to the Holocaust or support Nazi ideology.” Frewen said.
“My point was simple: history shows us that banners and symbols have long been used to push ideology and we should never stop asking questions or challenging what we have been told.
“Whether it’s a Pride banner or a Nazi banner, the moment it is forced into every space, it stops being about pride or patriotism , it becomes about power.
“The rage, the smears, the aggression and violence ~ that is not strength, it’s fear.
“Silencing questions is not inclusivity, it’s control.” she said.
“Small minds hate critical thinking because it shatters their fragile narrative.”
“My priority is clear: to keep children innocent and to focus Council resources where they belong ~ fixing roads and footpaths, supporting local businesses, and investing in aged care and disability, homeless and boosting tourism.
“I stand for People, and for a strong, safe and sensible community over political agendas.” Frewen said.
Albany Pride say Tamara Frewen’s comments are “a new low”
A spokesperson for Albany Pride have described Frewen’s comments as a “new low”.
“While this is not the first time that tamara Frewen has criticised our Pride Festival banners, the comparison to Nazi banners is a new low” the spokesperson said.
“The banners which we purchased and pay to have hanging in Albany as part of marketing our festival are a positive act of visibility for LGBTIQA+ folks in Albany.”
Albany Pride highlighted that the promotion of the festival brings an economic benefit to the city every year., bringing visitors and business to the town.
“Visibility is important in a regional city where the experience of ant-queer and anti-trans behaviour is still very much an issue.”
‘We cannot remedy someone who willfully sees a rainbow flag as a threat o their own identity, we can only work to make Albany a more inclusive place in the ways that we regularly receive positive feedback for.” the spokesperson said.
“Online trolling and bad faith culture wars are not not something that we can engage meaningfully with.” they said.
Albany council elections have a crowded field
Frewen is one of several members of the Keeping Children Safe group who are running for council in Albany. The group’s spokesperson Michelle Kinsella, a former One Nation candidate at state elections, is also running alongside 24 other local residents.
Six spaces will be available on the Albany Council, and five of the current members whose terms are expiring are running again. Councilors Robert Sutton, Amanda Cruse, Delma Baesjou, Tom Brough and Malcolm Traill have nominated for a new term, while Councilor Stephen Grimmer has opted to retire at the end of his current term.
Councilor Brough made national headlines when he claimed that LGBTIQA+ communities embrace “minor attracted people” in their ranks. He later went on to become the Liberal candidate at the state election where he failed to get sufficient votes.
Also in the mix is former Albany MLA Rebecca Stephens who lost her seat to the Nationals Scott Leary at the state election. Other candidates include Ex-Great Southern Police superintendent and retiring boss of Albany Youth Support Association Ian Clarke, mining protester Merlyn Moon, forced adoption advocate Jennifer McRae, and former Australian Christians state candidate Gerrit Ballast.
Sarah Taylor, Andrea Moss, Adrian Fry, Bethany Findlay, Caitlin Moran, Juliet Bateman, Fabian Hardey, James Macfarlane, Melenna Cooper, Caleb Griffiths, and Lynda Mellows are also in the running.
Speaking to the Albany Advertiser Deputy Mayor Paul Terry said it was important that people researched the backgrounds and views of the people standing for election.
“Local government elections are one of the most direct ways people can influence what happens in their community, and I encourage all eligible residents to take the time to read the candidate profiles included with the ballot package, prior to completing their ballot and having their say,” he said.
State government looks to reform council elections
There state government have indicated they will look to reform the voting process for local government elections and look to bring in compulsory voting, and potentially tying the timing to elections to state level polls.
On Wednesday Premier Roger Cook voiced his support for compulsory voting at the local government level.
Today local government minister Hannah Beazley told OUTinPerth that she is ready to have the conversation about voting reform.
“In relation to compulsory voting, Premier Roger Cook has made it clear, that this is a conversation the community should have. I’m certainly ready to engage and have that conversation.”
In relation to candidate with extreme view like Busselton’s Stephen Wells the minister said there was no place for extremist views in Western Australian society.
““Extremist views and ideological positions based in hate and prejudice do not reflect our society or the community’s views and values in WA.
“As Minister, I made it very clear that we needed good people to stand up and nominate for council to ensure our local governments have diversity that is reflective of the community they represent.
“To all the people in our LGBTIQA+ community, let me assure you I stand with you, value you and support you. This October, I urge every eligible voter to vote for candidates who are supportive of diversity and inclusion. Your vote can, and will, make a difference.” Minister Beazley said.
