Liberal Senator Alex Antic is up to his usual antics this week — introducing a virulently transphobic and homophobic bill to Parliament.
The Australian Greens LGBTIQA+ Spokesperson, Stephen Bates MP, condemns Antic’s hate-fuelled stunt.
There are huge gaps in the provision of gender affirming healthcare in Australia.
That’s why last election the Australian Greens called for a national LGBTIQA+ health and wellbeing action plan, new national professional standards, an extra $285m over four years in additional funding, and $15 million in dedicated funding to cover out-of-pocket costs for trans and gender diverse people trying to access gender affirming healthcare.
Australia’s healthcare system is already not meeting the needs of trans people — and all the Liberal Party is trying to do is make it even worse.
STEPHEN BATES MP, AUSTRALIAN GREENS LGBTQIA+ SPOKESPERSON said:
This is loser behaviour. It feels like every sitting week there is another stunt by transphobes desperate for media attention.
The Senator has the implicit backing of the Liberal Party in introducing his bill and goes to show that you can never trust the Liberals with LGBTIQA+ rights.
This is an Opposition that is just whipping up culture war after culture war, trying to see what sticks — because they have nothing of substance to offer.
Access to healthcare for trans people needs to be led by the trans community and medical experts — not hate-fuelled politicians. When it comes to trans healthcare, we need more funding, more access, and fewer restrictions.
There are very real consequences to the ongoing anti-trans hate campaigns. We all have a responsibility to protect trans kids.
We should not give this man and his crusade against trans kids any more oxygen.
Transphobia has no place in our Parliament. Trans rights are non-negotiable.