Libs admit involvement in Brethren 'hate ad'
This media release was issued by the TGLRG on 21.8.09.
"My hope is that the Liberal Party has suffered sufficient embarrassment over this to ensure it thinks twice before again targeting vulnerable minorities."
- Martine Delaney
Human rights advocate, Martine Delaney, has welcomed an admission by the Liberal Party that it helped place 2006 Tasmanian election advertisements, authorised and funded by members of the Exclusive Brethren, which targeted the human rights of transgender and intersex people.
Ms Delaney alleged to the Tasmanian Anti-Discrimination Tribunal that the ads incited hatred by declaring transgender and intersex rights will "destroy families and society".
In the course of the investigation it was found the Liberal Party had been invoiced for the ads, although it had previously denied any involvement.
Earlier this week, in notices in all three Tasmanian daily newspapers, the Exclusive Brethren members involved in publication of the ads apologised for the offence and hurt the ads caused.
In a public statement released today (copy below), the Liberal Party has now admitted that party workers, including former State Director, Damien Mantach, were involved in creating the ads, checking their legality and supplying them to an advertising agency for publication.
Ms Delaney welcomed the Liberal Party's admission, saying she hopes the Party has learnt its lesson and will no longer engage in attacks on vulnerable minorities for cheap electoral gain.
"I am disappointed that, having admitted its involvement, the Liberal Party cannot bring itself to apologise like the Brethren members have", she said.
"My hope is that the Liberal Party has suffered sufficient embarrassment over this to ensure it thinks twice before again targeting vulnerable minorities."
Ms Delaney's cases against the Brethren members and the Liberal Party are now resolved.
A copy of a March 2006 interview with Mr Mantach in which he denies all involvement in the placement of the ads is included below as a PDF file.
For more information contact Martine Delaney on 0417 530 621.
JOINT PUBLIC STATEMENT – MARTINE DELANEY & THE LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA (TASMANIAN DIVISION)
The Liberal Party of Australia (Tasmanian Division) and Martine Delaney have agreed to resolve her complaint concerning the advertisement that appeared in State newspapers in March 2006.
In early 2006, the then State Director met with Graham Lewis, a member of the Exclusive Brethren. They discussed brochures and strategies for targeting the Green vote and techniques to highlight what Green policies were and meant.
The State Director explained to Mr. Lewis the requirements for compliance with the Electoral Act, including the need for authorisation of any advertising material, and discussed with him the names of advertising agents who might be available to assist him in placing a political advertisement.
Subsequently, employees or volunteers working for the Liberal Party of Australia (Tasmanian Division) converted into a suitable electronic format a handwritten version of a proposed advertisement which had been provided to them for that purpose by Mr. Lewis. The then State Director checked the proposed advertisement to ensure that it complied with the Electoral Act, and satisfied himself that it did. It was then forwarded by the Liberal Party of Australia (Tasmanian Division) to the advertising agent retained by Mr. Lewis for the purposes of placing the advertisement in the three Tasmanian newspapers in which it subsequently appeared.
Ms. Delaney has agreed to withdraw her Anti-Discrimination Tribunal complaint against the Liberal Party of Australia (Tasmanian Division).
Like Ms. Delaney, the Liberal Party is vitally concerned with the rights of all citizens, including minorities such as transgender and inter-sex persons, to freely and publicly air their personal, political, religious and other beliefs.