Australia’s Governor-General, Sam Mostyn, has rejected calls to stand down as a patron of Equality Australia.
Political party Family First has been campaigning, arguing that it is inappropriate for the Governor-General to hold the honorary role with the LGBTIQA+ rights group.
The party’s national spokesperson, Lyle Shelton, the former head of the Australian Christian Lobby, said that by acting as a patron of the organisation, the Governor-General was giving public credence to its advocacy.
“The concern is that Equality Australia is a political advocacy organisation that campaigns on highly contested social and legal issues, including gender ideology, so-called conversion therapy laws, same-sex parenting, surrogacy and gender-transition treatments for children.
“When the Governor-General serves as patron of such an organisation, it inevitably creates the perception that the Crown is aligned with one side of a deeply contested political debate,” Shelton said in a media release.
In response to a letter sent by Shelton, the Governor-General’s office said the Crown’s representative in Australia acts as patron for more than 200 organisations across the country, including groups focused on mental health, sport, music and the arts.
“Any request for patronage is only considered and accepted as an honorary position, and does not include any involvement in an organisation’s operations, endorsement of positions or responsibility for its activities,” Gerard Martin, Official Secretary to the Governor-General, said in a letter dated 25 May 2026.
While no members of the British royal family are publicly known to hold patronage roles with LGBTIQA+ organisations, Denmark’s Queen Mary served as patron of WorldPride when it was held in Copenhagen in 2021.
Governor-General Sam Mostyn has been in the role of patron of Equality Australia since February 2025. At the time of her appointment the Governor-General said she was honoured to take up the position.
“I am honoured to be patron of Equality Australia, an organisation that embodies the same spirit of welcome and which has the values of respect, dignity, care and kindness at its core.
“It’s a privilege to celebrate diverse LGBTIQ+ communities, to honour your strength and resilience, to recognise your vital contribution to the success of our modern and optimistic Australia, and as patron to support Equality Australia in bringing an end to discrimination and injustice.
“I look forward to amplifying Equality Australia’s mission to build an equal Australia that is fair and inclusive for all LGBTIQ+ people, their families and their communities. ” Mostyn said.
