Katherine Deves, the Liberal party’s failed candidate for the seat of Warringah, has announced she’s changed her mind about being a candidate for the senate spot left by the death of NSW senator Jim Molan.
Warning: This story has comments about people who are transgender which might be distressing to some readers. For 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention call Lifeline on 13 11 14. For Australia-wide LGBTQI peer support call QLife on 1800 184 527 or webchat.
Deves announced she would be putting her name forward for the position just a week ago with a big splash in The Australian, but after a trainwreck interview with journalist Shari Markson on Monday night, Deves has announced she’s pulling out.
Appearing on the Sky News program Outsiders on Sunday morning the aspiring politician said she’d reviewed her priorities and running for the senate was no longer on her agenda.
“This week a lot of soul searching, a lot of sleepless nights, but ultimately it came down to a question of priorities for me as whether I nominated for the senate and I just decided at this time it just wasn’t the right time for me.” Deves said.
“There’s a strong field of candidates, they’re all bringing something different to the table, it’s going to be very hard fought, and I have full faith that the Liberal party selectors will choose the right person to carry on Jim Molan’s legacy.”
Deves said the reason she was unable to progress with her nomination was because she had joined the legal team in the case Tickle vs Giggle.
Giggle is a social media app, created by Queensland woman Sall Grover, that is facing a legal challenge from transgender woman Roxanne Tickle over their policy of barring transgender women from using the service.
“This is currently running in the Federal Court and it has the capacity to go all the way to the High Court.” Deves said. “As we’ve seen politicians have not been willing to protect women’s sex-based rights using law, as we’ve seen, those asserting a gender identity have been able to override women’s rights.”
Deves said she believed that the issue was not just one that concerned women, but Australian men were also concerned about transgender people being in their spaces.
“I mean if we lose this this means that we cannot recognise biological sex in law, and that has huge implications for both men and women, for their privacy, dignity and safety, it even extends to men. I can’t see a middle-aged man being willing to tolerate a 15-year-old girl who wants to pretend to be a boy coming into the change rooms at the gym.”
OIP Staff
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