Major parties disappoint on key GLBTI issues

This media release was issued by the TGLRG on 18.8.10

Tasmanian gay activists say the major parties' responses on key issues facing GLBTI Tasmanians is disappointing

Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group spokesperson, Rodney Croome, said that in their written responses to the Group's election survey both Labor and the Liberals confirmed their opposition to marriage equality.

"The opposition of the major parties to allowing same-sex couples to marry is a scandal given that 60% of Australians support this reform", Mr Croome said.

Mr Croome said Labor has the edge on the Liberals by giving a stronger commitment to national laws preventing discrimination in the workplace and by promising to fund programs to reduce higher levels of discrimination against GLBTI people in aged care facilities and higher levels of suicide among young GLBTI people.

"We welcome the Labor Party's commitments to community-based programs that reduce discrimination and to the kind of strong legislative underpinning such programs require to be effective."

"But overall the responses of both major parties fall short of the Greens, the Democrats and other smaller parties who have promised full legal equality and comprehensive social inclusion programs."

Mr Croome said the failure of the Liberal and Labor Parties to send representatives to a GLBTI community forum in Burnie, and the failure of the Liberals to send a candidate to a similar forum in Launceston, sent the message that both parties still take GLBTI voters for granted.

Responses to the TGLRG election survey can be found at
www.movingforward.org.au/tglrgfsurveyfed2010.html

For more information contact Rodney Croome on 0409 010 668.