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 Gay law reform bills could yet face a rocky passage in the Senate despite the chances of relationship recognition being “greatly improved” following the election of the Rudd Labor Government.
As Queensland Pride goes to print, the final Senate result remains unclear, and it is looking likely Labor may need the support of at least one Liberal Senator for any gay law reform bills to become law.
“There will likely be a hung Senate and it will be a challenge to get controversial bills through,” said Action Reform Change Queensland spokesperson Rod Goodbun.
“To that end it is useful NSW Liberal Senator Marise Payne snuck in and retained her place in the Senate. She will hopefully be a force for reform. Along with Turnbull and new leader Nelson, we will have to do some strong work to organise the Liberal Party to get progressive measures across the line. It will be a very clear test of Malcolm Turnbull’s commitment he gave the LGBT community to ensure he does everything in his power to get comprehensive reform through both houses. If he’s true to his word that he wants to see new ideas in the Liberal Party he can demonstrate that by working on fundamental human rights issues like those included in the HREOC recommendations,” Goodbun told Queensland Pride.
Australian Coalition for Equality (ACE) spokesperson Rodney Croome said he was “hopeful” at least some Liberals would support some reform.
“If Liberal support is required to enact reform I think we’ll see the all the work people like [former Queensland Liberal] Warren Enstch did bear fruit,” Croome said.
“While it looked like the Liberals were promising very little during the election campaign, Entsch made a pretty solid foundation for at least some Liberals to be strong supporters of at least some reform. I’m hopeful that if their support is required it will be given,” he said.
However, Croome said the recent record of the new Liberal leaders gives few clues as to the policy direction of the party.
“I think there’ll be some disappointment Malcolm Turnbull isn’t opposition leader. Not only is he socially progressive but he has a huge gay constituency to answer to. Brendan Nelson was once progressive. He was a strong advocate for decriminalisation for Tasmania in the 90s, but he shed those values as a federal minister.”
Deputy Leader Julie Bishop also had a progressive past, he said, “but she launched a bitter attack on classroom anti-homophobia programs as recently as last year.
“If the Liberals heed the message of the electorate and move to the centre, Nelson and Bishop will follow rather than lead.”
Both Goodbun and Croome expressed regret that Labor’s Shadow Attorney-General, Queensdlander Joe Ludwig, would not take up the role in Government. Instead, Robert McClelland will be responsible for gay law reform issues.
“[Ludwig] showed a great knowledge of, and passion for, LGBT human rights when he was shadow Attorney-General, and he also knows how to work the machinery of the party to get the outcome he wants,” Croome said.
“While Robert McClelland may not have those attributes, the asset he does bring to the job is that he’s a firm believer in human rights standards and stated Labor Party policy. He’s shown that on issues like death penalty and a charter of human rights, so I’m hopeful he’ll extend those principles to LGBT human rights.”
Goodbun said it should be noted that Queensland advocates were the only gay rights campaigners to have met personally with Kevin Rudd prior to the election and extracted a commitment on gay law reform.
“He confirmed he hated homophobia and it made him sick. We look forward to him acting on those strong feelings,” Goodbun said. We understand the new Attorney-General, Robert McClelland, is thoughtful and progressive and we look forward to forming a relationship with him to progress the clear commitment former shadow Joe Ludwig had made in the ruin up to the election.”
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