Conservative lobby group Family Voice Australia has called on Prime Minister Scott Morrison to adopt Senator Claire Chandler’s ‘Save Women’s Sports’ bill as official government policy ahead of the federal election.

The private member’s bill from Senator Chandler calls for the anti-discrimination laws to be amended to allow sporting groups to discriminate against transgender women and girls. In February the PM voiced his support for the legislation.

Peter Downie, the National Director of Family Voice Australia has called on Scott Morrison to formally adopt the Tasmanian senator’s proposed legislation as official government policy.

“This was a great first step from the Prime Minister.  But we need him to go further and adopt the Bill as Government policy.  This will make it much more likely to become a reality.” Downie said in an email to the group’s supporters.

Family Voice Australia urged people signed up to their mailing list to write to the Prime Minister regarding the issue.

Alongside voicing his support for the bill during the recent campaign stop in Tasmania, over the weekend the Liberals appointed Katherine Deves, the founder of political lobby group Save Women’s Sport Australia to be their candidate for the Sydney seat of Warringah.

Several coalition MPs have voiced their support for Senator Chandler’s proposed ‘Save Women’s Sport’ legislation.

Western Australian Senators Matt O’Sullivan and Ben Small are listed as a supporters on the website of anti-transgender organisation Binary, alongside Terry Young (Longman Qld), and Tony Pasin (Baker, SA).

New South Wales senator Hollie Hughes has also voiced support, as has Western Australian MP Andrew Hastie.

Despite Senator Chandler saying there is a lot of support for her bill among coalition ranks and within the community, in a previous interview she was unable to name a single sport in Australia where transgender women participating had been a problem.

The bill has been widely criticised by equality groups including Transfolk of WA, and Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR). Liberal MPs have also voiced opposition including Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein, alongside federal members Bridget Archer, Andrew Bragg and Dave Sharma.

OIP Staff

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