Killer Convicted after 19 Years
A man who brutally bashed a gay man almost two decades ago was jailed for at least 11-and-a-half years. 47-year-old Paul Darcy Armstrong was sentenced on Thursday August 12 in the NSW Supreme Court after a jury found him guilty, AAP reported. In September 1991, 27-year-old Felipe Flores was picked up by Armstrong at a Sydney bar. Just half-an-hour after seen leaving the bar, Mr Flores’ body was discovered in a deserted area at Woolloomooloo, known as lover’s lane. Presiding Justice Terrence Buddin said ‘the deceased had been brutally beaten to death’. Armstrong was sentenced to 17 years jail but may be eligible for parole in May 2020.
Bigotry Doesn’t Win Votes
Conservative election candidates sparked public outrage last month after publicly denouncing homosexuals through their campaigns. Queensland Family First senate candidate Wendy Francis apologised on August 10 after posting ‘legitimising gay marriage is like legalising child abuse,’ on her twitter feed just days before. She blamed a technical glitch for the comment and lamented she never meant to offend anybody. In response to the offending remark, One Nation’s Victorian President John Groves came to the defence of Francis by promoting gay bashing. Grove tweeted ‘U have a backer in me, love to do some Poofter Bashing from time too [sic] time.’ Neither Groves nor Francis was successful in their election bids.
Adoption on Agenda for NSW
Both major parties of the NSW parliament have announced support for a conscience vote on same-sex adoption when the bill is debated on September 2. To be heard on the first Thursday back for the winter seating, Premier Kristina Keneally has publicly endorsed the bill, saying she will support it once it comes time to vote. Independent NSW member Clover Moore introduced the Adoption Amendment Bill and tabled it last month. One of the three non-governmental adoption agencies, Anglicare has threatened to withdraw their services if the legislation passes.
Show Us Your Arts
Queer arts will take centre stage around the country this month with the return of the QueerDoc Festival and a gay speaker’s panel at the Brisbane’s Writers Festival. The Brisbane Writers’ Festival will feature an exclusive panel of gay writers including Benjamin Law, Yorick Smaal and Clive Moore. Sydney’s QueerDoc Festival is Australia’s first and the world’s largest queer documentary film festival. Presenting 16 documentaries by and for the LGBTI community, the festival will run from September 9 to 19 at Dendy Cinemas in Newtown, Sydney.
Violence on Oxford St
Six people were attacked on Sydney’s Oxford Street earlier this month by a single man resulting in two people taken to hospital with serious injuries. Police arrested a man believed to be in his 30s around 9pm on Monday August 9 outside Gloria Jeans. One of the victims, gay rights campaigner Simon Margan was left with a shattered eye socket after the offender kicked him in the eye while wearing military-style boots, SameSame reported. The suspect was facing nine charges and was refused bail.
Benn Dorrington
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