Tas Govt accused of ‘throwing LGBTI community under the bus’ …

… BY ALLOWING GAY HATE HATE CRIME PROPOSAL SLAMMED AS TOO NARROW

Advocates have slammed the State Government for ignoring the concerns of legal experts and LGBTI groups and proceeding with a bill that will make it easier for sexual, ethnic and religious minorities to be vilified in the name of religion.

According to advocates, the bill is worse than originally proposed because the need for public speech to be “reasonable” has been removed.

The Government has also been accused of a double standard for announcing today that it will toughen sentences for racially motivated crimes, but not crimes motivated by anti-gay prejudice.

Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group spokesperson, Rodney Croome, said,

“This Government has thrown LGBTI Tasmanians under the bus to appease a tiny minority of people who want to attack us using the Bible as cover.”

“The Government’s removal of the need for public speech to be ‘reasonable’ means it will be open season on LGBTI people, especially if there is a plebiscite.”

“The Government’s appalling proposal will return us to the 1990s when Tasmania was divided down the middle by anti-gay hate.”

“We will be doing all we can to ensure this appalling legislation is blocked in the Upper House.”

Mr Croome said LGBTI groups will lobby for the proposal to toughen penalties against crimes motivated by race hate to be broadened to include crimes motivated by hate against LGBTI people.

“Only toughening sentences against race hate means the others types of hate will appear more legitimate”, he said.

Tasmania adopted the strongest anti-hate laws in Australia following the divisive debate about decriminalising homosexuality in the 1990s.

Some conservative religious bodies want the laws watered down ahead of a possible plebiscite on marriage equality.

The Government’s proposal will make it easier to vilify religious and ethnic minorities, as well as LGBTI people.
Rodney Croome, TASMANIAN GAY AND LESBIAN RIGHTS GROUP