The Liberal party’s Albany members have selected controversial local councillor Thomas Brough to be their candidate at the 2025 state election.
Councillor Brough made headlines in late February when, during the city’s Pride celebrations, he called on Pride organisations to state that they did not accept “minor attracted people” in their ranks.
The comments which were made during a council meeting were widely condemned with LGBTIQA+ rights groups accusing the councillor of spreading misinformation about the LGBTIQA+ community.
Councillor Brough refused to apologise for his comments arguing that the plus symbol in the LGBTIQA+ acronym could also include people who use the descriptor “minor attracted people”.
The selection will still have to be signed off by the party’s state executive to be finalised.
Councillor Brough, who is an emergency department doctor, was successful in gaining the nomination over Scott Leary who represented the party at the last election. The seat is currently held by Labor’s Rebecca Stephens.
Tiger Bird from Albany Pride spoke to Youth Jam Radio about the Liberal party’s decision describing it as “astounding”.
“It’s astounding, especially after he made those comments and Libby Mettam quite rightly called them out. To now find out he is now the WA Liberal’s preselected candidate for Albany is just astonishing.”
Bird said the local LGBTIQA+ community had a long history of homophobic comments with religious fundamentalist groups in the town, but is was especially disappointing to hear such comments coming from a member of the local councillor.
As to why the Liberal party was selecting candidate which views like those of Dr Brough, Tiger Bird said it showed the party was reeking of desperation.
“What they’re doing now is just desperation, they’ve got no one left in their ranks because they got annihilated at the last election. So I guess the only thing they’ve got left is the sort of Trumpian politics that all desperate filing governments resort to.
“Libby’s legacy will be introducing that kind of politicking into the WA mainstream.” Bird said, adding that it was depressing if Thomas Brough was the best the party had to offer.
Local LGBTIQA+ community members are concerned about how the election campaign will play out in the town and have concerns that their lives will be politicised.
“We’ve been dealing with this latest uproar of homophobia and transphobia down here for the last few months since the Pride festival when he made these comments, and there were a few other people who really stuck the boot in.
“It’s going to get nasty, and it’s going to get ugly, and I think that’s what he wanted to do, I think that is his ambition.”
Police investigate graffiti on local landmark
Albany police are currently investigating graffiti in the area which they believed was directed at Dr Brough. On the rock face of Bluff Rock in Murmup Reserve, Spencer Park vandals have painted “T. Brough sux D” in two-metre high letters painted in white.
Albany police officer in charge Carlos Correia told The Albany Advertiser the graffiti was a serious offence.
“Vandalism is a serious offence and anybody found to be involved or have taken part in this will be subject to criminal charges and receive the proper penalty in due course,” he said.
“When monuments are involved, this means criminal damage.
“Obviously, the culprit has an agenda, and it’s up to the person in question whether to press defamation charges if they are caught, but this behaviour isn’t acceptable.” Correia said.
