Upper House MLC, Dr Brian Walker, has expressed concern that the state government has not introduced any of its promised LGBTIQA+ law reforms.
The leader of the Legalise Cannabis Party has highlighted that the Government was already two years into its second term and had made lots of announcements without any follow through.
“What is taking so long? The report from Equal Opportunity Commission was begun in 2018 and concluded in September 2021. Public comments closed two months later. But almost a year on we still haven’t seen any draft legislation.
“Discrimination can still occur against LGBTIQA+ students and teachers in faith schools, there is no legislation to include trans and gender diverse people in the Act, and no progress on hate speech laws.
“There is also no draft legislation to ban LGBTIQA+ conversion practices despite months of community meetings and no draft legislation to repeal the Gender Reassignment Act and abolish the Gender Reassignment Board despite this being announced in December last year.” Dr Walker said in a statement.
Dr Walker said he had written to the Attorney General, John Quigley, asking him to commit to a timetable of reform, ideally within the next six months.
“Other states are far ahead of WA in these areas. Tasmania adopted most of these reforms 25 years ago.
“I really think if the Government has passed nothing in this area by the time Pride Month comes around, the community would be right to question Labor’s participation in the parade,” he said.
Dr Walker said that as a GP he regarded the overdue reforms as a critical mental health measure.
“All of the metrics show that LGBTIQA+ people generally suffer high rates of anxiety, depression and alcohol and substance use. Much of this can be traced back to discrimination, social and administrative exclusion, bullying and religious harm.
“It’s not enough just to have equality under the law, as important as that is, it’s also necessary to have procedures in place to prevent and address ongoing discrimination. The absence of these protections just gives license to those who want to treat LGBTIQA+ people as second class.
“The Government controls both houses of parliament and these reforms will sail through if the new Premier shows some spine and puts in a pro-active effort.” he said.
Speaking to OUTinPerth about his call for action Dr Walker said he’d like to see them take the issue seriously.
“I’d like to see them taking it seriously. We’re seeing an increase in the world of hate, one of the problems we’re facing, as I see it, is we’re not being kind to each other. You can’t legislation for people to be kind, but you can legislate against hate.” Dr Walker said.
A recent protest against an LGBTIQA+ inclusive event in central Perth drew protesters who were making Nazi salutes, something that other state governments and the federal government have begun to address legislatively. While the Labor government has promised similar laws in Western Australia, like LGBTIQA+ law reform, the bills have not yet come forth.
Dr Walker said he was “absolutely” in favour of similar laws being introduced in Western Australia.
“I spent many years in Germany, I speak fluent German, and in Germany it’s absolutely against the law to show the Hakenkreuz – the swastika, or the Nazi salute. It’s punishable with prison, and I do think that they ought to make it so elsewhere.
“What we’re seeing in the world is this rise of fascism, this rise of hate, and it’s basically I think a fear of others. If you’re not able to share with people who are very different, then we’re going to get people saying, ‘if you’re not one of us, we’re against you’ and this is all over the world, and it terrifies me.
Suggestions that Australia and the USA are on as course for war with China, to opposition to The Voice to Parliament, and growing antagonism towards the LGBTIQA+ community, are all trends in society that worry the MP.
While Dr Walker says his party is pushing for progress on LGBTIQA+ rights, some in the community may question the stance given his parliamentary colleague Sophia Moermond was the first speaker to take the microphone at the Let Women Speak event in Perth earlier this year.
At the event, hosted by British provocateur Kellie-Jay Keen, Moermond said there had been a rejection of science in favour of ideology when it came to transgender health treatments.
The MP said she held concerns about affirmative care models, the puberty of young people who are transgender, violent offenders who are transgender being held in female prisons, reduced safeguarding of children, transgender women being allowed to play sport, and the “silencing of women’s voices.”
Brian Walker says he understands his colleagues’ concerns, and there are areas where they both agree.
“I agree mostly with what she’s saying. We need fairness. What I don’t agree with is how she says this. You have to bear in mind that she’s also got her own troubles, her own demons to contend with. I’m not going to castigate her, but I will say I don’t share that platform. I will never stand on that platform.”
‘I don’t agree with the concept at all that all men are bad, for example”.
Dr Walker said his support for people who are transgender came from having a niece who is transgender.
“I know the trouble she went through, and I know how my late brother, his heart broke trying to keep this young woman safe from the pain that is inevitably coming upon her, so I am absolutely going to be supporting people to live the best life that they can.”
While Moermond voiced concern that healthcare costs associated with people who are transgender could have a impact on Australia’s Medicare system, Dr Walker says he wants to learn a lot more about what steps people are currently taking, especially when they are being forced to head overseas for affordable procedures.
“Should we as a society be paying for the costs of transitioning? I haven’t got an answer for that – but I suspect probably yes.”
Dr Walker said he appreciated that across the board there are limits to what Medicare can pay for, but it is something that needed to be considered and discussed more.
“My gut feeling is that if they say its non-essential, then it’s going to be something you have to pay for yourself. That’s my gut feeling as a medical practitioner.” he said, arguing we should always be considering where the health system can get the most “bang for each buck”.
Graeme Watson
Do you need some support?
If you are struggling with anxiety or depression, support and counselling are available from:
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