Same-sex marriage debate withdrawal 'disappointing'
This media release was issued by the TGLRG on July 18th 2011
- Opponents of equality harm their cause by playing victim card
- Uni decision to consider continuing with debate welcomed
- Renewed call on Tas MPs to focus on preventing hate crime
Tasmanian gay activist, Rodney Croome, says many Tasmanians will be disappointed by the withdrawal of anti same-sex marriage advocates from an up-coming debate in Launceston organised by the University of Tasmania.
This morning the Australian Christian Lobby’s Managing Director Jim Wallace, Tasmanian Liberal MP, Michael Ferguson, and Australian Family Association spokesperson, Terri Kelleher, announced their withdrawal citing fears of "personal attack and vitriol".
Mr Croome, who was to put the case for same-sex marriage, along with Education Minister, Nick McKim and Tasmanian writer, Danielle Wood, said,
"Tasmanians deserve to hear both sides of this important public issue and many will be disappointed by the withdrawal of one side so close to the event."
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Hodgman commitment to gay hate law welcomed / Call for Liberals to support school anti-homophobia programs
This media release was issued by the TGLRG on July 8th 2011
Tasmanian gay advocates have welcomed a commitment from State Opposition leader, Will Hodgman, to laws which will allow harsher penalties for violent crime motivated by hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation.
Mr Hodgman made the commitment at a press conference in Hobart this morning.
Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group spokesperson, Rodney Croome, said gay bashers often believe society condones their actions and extra penalties for hate crime will send out the message that this is not the case.
"We welcome Mr Hodgman's hate-crime commitment and also call on the Liberal Party to commit to programs in secondary schools which reduce levels of prejudice and discrimination", Mr Croome said.
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Gay-bashing victim applauded for speaking out / Call for Tas Gov't to do more to stop gate hate crime
These media releases were issued by the TGLRG on July 4th 2011
Tasmanian gay activists have applauded a young Ulverstone gay-bashing victim for speaking out and have called on the State Government to do more to curb anti-gay hate crime.
Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group spokesperson, Rodney Croome, said the attack on Daniel Stanley, 23 of Ulverstone, last Sunday was not an isolated incident and resembles a practice known in Tasmania as "fag-running" where gangs of youths in cars follow men suspected of being gay, cornering and bashing them, and then boasting about it on facebook.
"Unfortunately most of the victims of anti-gay hate crime are too scared to report to the police, or, if they do report, hide the fact it was a hate crime, so I applaud this young man for taking action particularly when his bashers threatened reprisal", Mr Croome said.
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L'ton vigil shows human face of same-sex marriage debate
This media release was issued by the TGLRG on 2.6.11
Forty people attended a Vigil for Equality outside a meeting against same-sex marriage at the University of Tasmania in Launceston last night.
People at the vigil held up photos of same-sex couples as those attending the meeting filed passed.
Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group spokesperson, Rodney Croome, said the photos show the human face of the issue.
“Allowing same-sex couples to marry is about recognising that these couples are real people with the same hopes and aspirations as everyone else”, Mr Croome said.
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Supporters of marriage equality to hold vigil to coincide with anti-equality meeting
This media release was issued by the TGLRG and Tasmanian University Union on 1.6.11
What: to show the human face of marriage equality to those who oppose reform
Where: Sir Raymond Farrell Centre Lecture Theatre, UTAS Launceston Newnham Campus
When: from 6.30pm, Wednesday 1st June 2011
The Tasmanian University Union in partnership with the Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group has invited supporters of marriage equality to a attend a peaceful vigil in Launceston this evening.
The Vigil starts at 6.30pm and will be held outside a meeting against marriage equality convened by the Tasmanian Branch of the Australian Christian Lobby at the Raymond Farrell Lecture Theatre at the University of Tasmania in Launceston. The anti-equality meeting begins at 7.30pm.
Tasmanian University Union President, Saleh Bintalib, said the vigil will show the human face of marriage equality by featuring photos of same-sex couples who wish to marry.
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McKim appointment welcomed
This media release was issued by the TGLRG on 13.5.11
Tasmanian gay community advocates have welcomed the appointment of Greens Leader, Nick McKim, as state education minister.
Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group spokesperson, Rodney Croome, said Mr McKim has a strong record of opposing discrimination and bullying on the grounds of sexuality and gender identity.
"National studies have shown that 11% of Tasmanian school students are same-sex attracted or transgender, and that many of these students are subject to discrimination and abuse at school", Mr Croome said.
"We look forward to working with Mr McKim to ensure Tasmania's schools are safe learning environments for all students."
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Community organisations partner to tackle discrimination
This media release was jointly issued by the TGLRG, WIO and TasCAHRD on 6.5.11
Three Tasmanian community organisations have welcomed a State Government grant that will enable them to better tackle discrimination and abuse against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) Tasmanians.
Working It Out (WIO), the Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group (TGLRG) and the Tasmanian Council on AIDS, Hepatitis and Related Diseases (TasCAHRD) have received $30,000 from the State Government for the Be Proud Project which will research discrimination and abuse directed against LGBTI Tasmanians and how that discrimination and abuse can be reduced.
WIO Executive Officer, Susan Ditter, said,
"Until now the experiences of discrimination and prejudice in our communities, and the level of fear of this discrimination, have not been recorded. This project will give lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people of all ages the opportunity to record such incidents in a confidential and safe environment, and it will give the organisations involved the base data they need to better tackle discrimination."
According to Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group spokesperson, Rodney Croome, the funding will contribute to a more accepting and safe Tasmania for everyone.
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Hobart marriage equality forum hears all sides of debate
This media release was issued by the TGLRG on 29.4.11
A forum on marriage equality at the University of Tasmania in Hobart last night drew an overflow audience of 400.
Organised by Federal MP for Denison, Andrew Wilkie, to gauge community views on the issue, the forum heard from marriage law expert, Dr Olivia Rundle, marriage equality advocate, Rodney Croome, and Presbyterian Minister, Campbell Markham, before being opened up to questions and comments.
Mr Croome said the forum was a great success with a variety of views being respectfully aired.
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Anti-hate laws must be wider than race
This media release was issued by the TGLRG on 20.4.11
Tasmanian gay activists have welcomed a state Law Reform Institute report calling for tougher laws against racial abuse, but say any reform of the Tasmania's anti-hate laws must include other grounds such as sexual orientation and gender identity.
Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group spokesperson, Rodney Croome, said failure to strengthen laws against sexual and gender vilification and abuse will send the message that hate-motivated attacks against gay and transgender people are acceptable.
"Vilification and other hate-motivated crimes on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity is at least as common and just as damaging as racial abuse, and they must be subject to the same penalties", Mr Crome said.
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Tas Liberals support same-sex surrogacy after their push to ban it fails / Libs say same-sex couples can have surrogacy if they wait three way
This media release was issued by the TGLRG on 12.4.11
The Tasmanian Liberal Party has decided to allow same-sex surrogacy after the Party's attempt to outlaw it failed.
The about-face occurred during debate on the Tasmanian Government's Surrogacy Bill and comes after many same-sex couples with children contacted the Liberal Party expressing outrage at the Party's original proposal allowing surrogacy for heterosexual partners and singles but criminalising it for same-sex couples.
Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group spokesperson, Rodney Croome, welcomed the Liberals' decision, but added that conditions imposed on same-sex surrogacy must be the same as those imposed on other couples entering surrogacy arrangements.
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