Libs 'no show' at Launceston gay community election forum / Hobart rally for same-sex marriage to hear from candidates

This media release was issued by the TGLRG on 13.8.10.

Tasmanian gay activists are disappointed the Liberal Party failed to send a representative to last night's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) community election forum in Launceston.

Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group spokesperson, Rodney Croome, said about 30 people quizzed candidates from the Labor, Green, Democrat and Secular Parties, as well as independents, on issues ranging from same-sex marriage and discrimination laws to tackling higher rates of suicide among young gay and transgender people.

"This was the first gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community election forum since 1996 that a Liberal representative has not attended, and that sends a strong message to the community that the Liberals do not care about our issues and do not want our votes."

Mr Croome said the first Tasmanian Liberal to attend a gay election forum was Mrs Sue Napier in Launceston in 1996. Mrs Napier, whose state funeral will be held in Launceston today, was a champion of homosexual law reform during her time in State Parliament.

"Mrs Napier's upheld real Liberal values like tolerance, equality and personal freedom, and it is sad to see the Liberal Party failing to meet the high standards she set."

The sixth anniversary of the banning of same-sex marriages by the Howard Government in 2004 will be marked by a rally outside Parliament House in Hobart tomorrow.

The rally will be addressed by a range of election candidates who believe same-sex couples should be allowed to marry and who will knock down a symbolic "wall of discrimination".

The Hobart rally, which begins at 1pm, is part of an annual national commemoration that will see rallies conducted in all state capitals and many regional centres.

For more information contact Rodney Croome on 0409 010 668.