[I wrote this piece about 10 days ago, in the lead-up to the anniversary of the horrific events at Victorian Parliament in March last year. Unfortunately, it wasn’t picked up by media outlets – but the past week has made these comments even more urgent, so I am publishing it here.]

One year ago last Monday (on Saturday 18 March 2023), Australians witnessed the horrific sight of neo-Nazis turning up to an anti-trans rally on the steps of Victorian Parliament, holding a banner saying ‘destroy paedo freaks’ and performing Nazi salutes.

It was a chilling reminder of the serious threat posed by right-wing extremism to LGBTIQ communities in general, and trans and gender diverse people in particular.

Rather than being a one-off, that awful anti-LGBTIQ spectacle was just the first in a long line of rallies and related hate speech threatening our communities over the past 12 months.

Within days, so-called ‘Christian Lives Matter’ members engaged in what can only be described as a riot against peaceful LGBTIQ protestors (and NSW Police) in the Sydney suburb of Belfield.

April onwards saw a dramatic rise in threats of violence and intimidation by right-wing extremists across the country, directed to local councils and libraries holding Drag Story Times.

Most recently, the ABC was forced to cancel a Drag Story Time that was to be held in conjunction with the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras following death threats against their employees.

The attacks on our communities have been terrifying. They have been relentless. And they are part of a disturbing international trend of intolerance.

But where has the Commonwealth Government been when we have needed their leadership? 

They were quick to introduce legislation to ban the display of Nazi hate symbols, later amended to also prohibit the Nazi salute. This was welcome, but addresses only part of the problem.

A group of thugs intimidating trans people with a banner saying ‘destroy paedo freaks’ is a serious issue irrespective of what clothes they wear, flags they fly or salutes they perform.

Sadly, though, we have not seen the Albanese Government respond to the rise in anti-LGBTIQ right-wing extremism with the seriousness it deserves. 

We have not seen or heard clear and consistent condemnation of growing homophobia, biphobia and transphobia, or even of the violent threats against community events.

There has been no commitment to introduce much-needed Commonwealth laws prohibiting anti-LGBTIQ vilification.

And no open engagement with LGBTIQ communities about the threats we face, or additional funds committed to help with our safety.

Instead, it has been left to unfunded groups like Rainbow Community Angels, who attempt to make events like Drag Story Time a safe place for attendees, to stand up against the far-right, unassisted.

It’s possible the Government would say that primary responsibility for these issues lies with states and territories, but these are problems that call for national leadership.

By contrast, faith communities have been actively engaged and largely supported when they have raised concerns about intolerance. 

Government representatives, from Prime Minister Albanese down, have spoken up in recent months against religious hate speech, particularly in the form of anti-semitism. The Government has made repeated promises to introduce religious vilification laws, expected to be tabled within weeks.

[NB Since this piece was written, the Government has confirmed it is pushing ahead with these amendments, separate to the Religious Discrimination Bill and any Sex Discrimination Act changes, meaning it may be the only part of those overall reforms that actually pass.]

And $40 million in Commonwealth funding for the safety of religious organisations was announced by Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus last May (on the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia no less).

The LGBTIQ community can’t even convince the Government to create and appoint a stand-alone LGBTIQ+ Discrimination Commissioner at the Australian Human Rights Commission. LGBTIQ issues remain a part-time, ad hoc responsibility of the Sex Discrimination Commissioner.

Promises to address anti-LGBTIQ vilification, and funding for LGBTIQ community safety, remain nowhere to be seen.

I’m a 45-year old cis gay man. I grew up in Joh Bjelke-Petersen’s Queensland, and survived five years at a deeply homophobic religious boarding school. Coming out of, and coming out after, that environment was tough.

But the rise in overt, targeted, public bigotry over the past 12 months has left me feeling less safe than at any time since the 1990s.

What has made things worse is the silence and inaction of the Albanese Government. This has left me, and many others in our community, feeling forgotten too.

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