Just–Equal Australia says the delay by the State Government to pass hate-speech laws is allowing a spate of anti-LGBTIQA+ commentary in Western Australia.
The lobby group says the news in recent days that a neo-NAZI candidate in the Busselton Council election and a right-wing candidate running for Albany Council, have both targeted the LGBTIQA+ community with claims, that would be actionable if they were based around race, show the need for government action.
WA spokesperson for Just-Equal, Brian Greig, said WA is one of the few states without any anti-vilification laws to protect LGBTIQA+ people.
“Other states have laws that prevent incitement to hatred, and the better laws in those states also prohibit conduct that is harassing and intimidating.
“Such laws have a calming effect on public discourse, not only because of the possibility of penalties for hate speech, but because the laws allow for formal conciliation between a perpetrator and the group they have attacked, from which there can be positive outcomes.
Greig said the McGowan and Cook Governments had been promising to outlaw hate speech for almost ten years. It was a key recommendation from the review of the Equal Opportunity Act started in 2016.
While Local Government Minister, Hannah Beazley, said this week she stands with the LGBTIQA+ community in the wake of current attacks, and that her government is open to a conversation on local government reform, there’s also a call to revisit the promise for other law reforms.
Greig said the more pressing conversation must be: when is the government going to introduce its long overdue Equal Opportunity Act reforms.
“Labor is now dragging its ‘commitments’ around this into its third parliamentary term of government.
“West Australians are still waiting for long overdue reforms that outlaw hate speech, protect LGBTIQA+ teachers and students in faith schools and ban conversion practices. This is a greater priority than musings about changes to the Local Government Act,” Greig said.
Busselton candidate Stephen Wells has outlined to OUTinPerth that he’s a member of the National Socialist Network led by Thomas Sewell, and if elected would push to ban pride flags, restrict library books and cut funding to the city’s popular Pride and Wellbeing festival.
Tamara Frewen, who is standing for council in Albany, had denied she was making a comparison between the Albany Pride and the Third Reich when she posted images of flag of both groups to social media.
