McGowan and Kirkup must explain LGBTI policies
Liberal candidate brings focus to key issues
NEWS RELEASE
30 Jan 2021
Opposition Leader Zak Kirkup and Premier Mark McGowan must make their LGBTI policies clear following the fallout from Liberal Candidate for Victoria Park, Amanda-Sue Markham.
WA Spokesman for LGBTI lobby group Just-Equal, Brian Greig, said by the Liberal Party endorsing Ms Markham as a candidate they have brought sharp focus to three main issues concerning the LGBTI community this election.
Ms Markham has been identified as a former member of Tasmania’s “Save Marriage Coalition,” an anti-LGBTI group which campaigned against marriage equality in 2017.
Ms Markham has also attacked the Safe Schools program designed to protect LGBTI students from bullying.
Ms Markham is married to anti-gay Presbyterian Pastor Campbell Markham who claims that homosexuals can be “cleansed” of their “gay lifestyle”, which he says “is distressingly dangerous and has appalling health risks.”
Pastor Markham was the subject of a complaint for hate-speech in Tasmania 2017, when his online blog alluded to killing same-sex parents by quoting a Bible verse about drowning people with millstones.
Mr Greig said the LGBTI community wants to know where the Government and Opposition stand on banning LGBTI conversion practices, funding for Inclusive Education and the introduction of hate speech laws to protect LGBTI people.
“Just_Equal wrote to all political parties on 15 December with a survey of six core questions, asking each leader to explain their LGBTI policies for the next term of government.
“Only the Greens have responded. We are still waiting to hear from the Premier and Opposition Leader.
“In light of the issues the Liberal party have raised through their candidate for Victoria Park – where do the major parties stand on LGBTI law reform?
“Will Premier McGowan and Opposition Leader Zak Kirup ban LGBTI conversion practices?
“Will they stop religious schools sacking LGBTI teachers?”
The six questions covered in Just_Equal’s survey included:
- Banning LGBTI conversion practices
- Stopping faith schools from expelling LGBTI students and sacking LGBTI teachers
- Introducing hate-speech laws for LGBTI’s
- Transgender law reform (allowing trans people to change ID without surgery)
- Intersex law reform (banning non-consensual surgery)
- Funding the Inclusive Education program
Mr Greig urged all parties in receipt of the survey to respond well before the election so policy positions could be scrutinised by voters.
“WA has fallen behind other states on a range of LGBTI legal reforms and this election is an opportunity to set things right for equality and inclusion,” he said.
For a copy of this statement on the web:
hereCONTACT: Brian Greig M: 040 777 6961
- Read the Just-Equal survey to MP’s and responses here:
