17c起草社区

Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff has ruled out changes to the state鈥檚 Anti-Discrimination Act following calls from anti-trans campaign group Women Speak Tasmania to amend protections for transgender and gender diverse people.

The comments came during question time in the Tasmanian Parliament after independent Clark MP Kristie Johnston asked whether the government would support changes to the legislation.

鈥淲e stand with all Tasmanians, and we鈥檝e got no plans to change the Anti-Discrimination laws,鈥� Rockliff told parliament.

Women Speak Tasmania has lobbied MPs to amend the Anti-Discrimination Act so discrimination would be prohibited on the basis of 鈥渂iological sex鈥� rather than gender, and to ban trans women from women鈥檚 services and sport.

Equality Tasmania spokesperson Rodney Croome welcomed the Premier鈥檚 statement.

鈥淭asmania鈥檚 Anti-Discrimination Act has protected trans and gender diverse people from unfair treatment for almost thirty years without the sky falling in, so we see no reason it should be changed now,鈥� Croome said.

鈥淭asmania鈥檚 women鈥檚 services and sports groups have included trans women for many years, exposing as false the claim that trans women pose some kind of threat to other women.鈥�

鈥淧rohibiting discrimination on the narrow ground of biological sex would provide less protection for women and girls than the current ground of gender, so we oppose it.”

鈥淲e welcome Premier Rockliff鈥檚 sensible decision to keep the Anti-Discrimination Act intact and thereby ensure all Tasmanians are equally protected from unfair treatment.鈥�

Kristie Johnston said she welcomed the Premier鈥檚 commitment to maintaining the legislation.

鈥淚 welcome the Premier鈥檚 commitment to preserve our Anti-Discrimination Act, as forces lobby to change it and undermine Tasmania鈥檚 proud inclusive culture,鈥� Johnston said.

Johnston said Women Speak Tasmania had asked MPs to sign a pledge to ban trans women from 鈥渟ingle-sex space, services and sports鈥�.

鈥淭his would be a radical change from decades of inclusive practices in Tasmania,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t flies in the face of strong support for inclusion by Tasmania鈥檚 women’s service providers and community sporting organisations.鈥�