Transgender Student’s Discrimination Case Against Citipointe College Set To Proceed
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A Brisbane based transgender university student, Emmey Leo, has secured a significant legal victory in her ongoing fight against alleged discrimination at Citipointe Christian College.
The Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) has dismissed the school鈥檚 attempt to strike out her claim, allowing it to proceed into a full hearing.
Citipointe, a conservative faith-based college in Carindale, had sought dismissal of Leo鈥檚 complaint on grounds of procedural delays and missed tribunal deadlines.
The school, alongside then鈥憄rincipal Brian Mulheran, argued that such delays warranted termination of the case. However, QCAT Senior Member 厂补尘补苍迟丑补鈥疶谤补惫别蝉 ruled otherwise, stating that the delays were attributable to Leo鈥檚 former legal team at the LGBTI Legal Service, not to Leo herself.
Traves noted the college suffered 鈥渓ittle, if any, prejudice鈥� from the delays, while Leo would suffer 鈥渟erious鈥� consequences if her case were dismissed.
She highlighted that Leo, a young IT student at the Queensland University of Technology, had 鈥渘o capacity to understand or act on the tribunal鈥檚 directions in circumstances where her legal representatives did not forward them to her or inform her about them.”
The discrimination complaint, referred to QCAT in April 2024 by the Queensland Human Rights Commission, alleges both direct and indirect discrimination relating to Leo鈥檚 transgender identity, affecting her access to education and services at the college.
This legal battle follows on from the college鈥檚 2022 controversy when they made national headlines. That year, Citipointe released an enrolment contract allowing for exclusion of students based on gender identity or sexuality, branding homosexuality as 鈥渟inful and offensive to God鈥�.
The backlash included student and staff departures, a rally in King George Square, and intervention from Queensland education authorities. Citipointe withdrew the contract and Mulheran resigned amid swirling public condemnation.
With QCAT allowing the case to advance, Leo鈥檚 next step is a substantive hearing, where evidence will determine whether Citipointe breached her rights under anti鈥慸iscrimination laws.
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