*Pic: Picture of Archbishop Julian Porteous from HERE
Julian Punch AM has approached the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Hobart, Julian Porteous … but has yet to receive a reply.
The Archbishop has asked for a limit on ‘discrimination speech’ in the Tasmanian Anti-Discrimination Act 1999 … and Liberal Attorney-General Vanessa Goodwin appears to have asceded to the request because she plans to introduce this limitation into Parliament.
Julian Punch says this has the effect of “protecting the Archbishop and his conservative Christian stalwarts”.
Punch believes that restricting religious freedom will destroy security for the LGBTI Community … and will leads to attacks on the LGBTI community in the proposed Marriage Equality Plebiscite by the Turnbull Federal Government.
Says Julian:
While these proposed changes and expensive propaganda attack that will follow are not supported by the majority of Catholic clergy and laity, they will do terrible damage to the most vulnerable Tasmanian LGBTI Community including our parents and friends already reeling from the Orlando attack in the USA.
Discrimination including ‘hate crime’ – both physical and psychological – is indeed transnational in nature and affect. The continuing attacks with the support of the Tasmanian Attorney-General on both the LGBTI Community and the legislation that protects us and other minority population groups will have equally disastrous affects as has the Orlando attack.
If the Attorney General is now swayed by the Archbishop to seriously weaken the TAD Act 1999 then this will leave no-where for the LGBTI Community to go to in the case of similar attacks on them.
Complaints to the Tasmanian Anti -Discrimination Commission and Tribunal are a very difficult process for anyone to undertake, and the violence and hate crime takes second place in any decision. The Attorney-General should be strengthening the Act and allowing greater protection and access rather than protecting powerful lobby groups like the Catholic Church against liability to denigrate and perpetuate inequality in the current legislation.
The Archbishop needs to turn to love as his greatest protection in any liability by establishing a pastoral program in Catholic Schools to ensure the spiritual and physical well-being of very vulnerable LGBTI students. Julian Porteous should understand that instead of encouraging fundamental elements in the Churches he needs to act against bigotry and hate as did his Master.
*Lindsay Tuffin has been a journo since 1969, mainly in Tassie …
