THE Australian Family Association has vowed to keep campaigning against the State Government's gay law reform legislation despite falling foul of the Advertising Standards Board.

The board has ruled that advertisements placed in WA newspapers criticising the proposed lowering of the age of consent to 16 for gay males vilifies homosexual people by implying an association between homosexuality and paedophilia.

These included an advertisement headed "Wanted: Your teenage son" and claiming that "many more boys will be seduced by older men if (Premier) Dr Gallop's homosexual law goes ahead".

The finding does not prevent the association from continuing to run the advertisement.

Democrats Senator Brian Greig, who lodged the complaint with the board, said the ruling vindicated his argument that the advertisements were offensive and put forward misinformation about the gay law reform process.

"This group has stooped to new lows in their desperate attempts to block equal rights for gay and lesbian people," Senator Greig said. "Freedom of speech does not include freedom to vilify."

Senator Greig, one of only two openly gay Federal MPs, said he would lodge similar complaints against the association's advertisements which have appeared in recent days.

These include an advertisement run on Sunday which said the proposed laws would allow predatory older men to sodomise 16-year-old boys without fear of prosecution.

Association spokesman Richard Egan said the group would continue to run similar advertisements to ensure people were informed fully about the proposed laws.

"The advertisements simply point out that the Government's law reform would allow older men to have sex with 16-year-old boys," Mr Egan said. "Why that is vilification I have no idea." He said it was hypocritical of the board to reject regularly complaints about advertisements which were offensive or degrading to women yet had decided to act in this instance.

He said the ruling, with the recent sacking of Edith Cowan University chaplain Father David Watt for signing his name on a register of people opposed to gay law reform, highlighted the climate of political correctness surrounding the legislation which prevented people from speaking out.

Debate on the legislation will continue in the Legislative Assembly today.

It is expected to pass through Parliament before Christmas.

Debate sparks a run on haven
DEBATE on proposed gay law reform has seen the number of gay and lesbian youths seeking help and refuge rise significantly in the past two months.

Northbridge's Freedom Centre, a haven for young people with sexuality concerns, reports a 400 per cent increase in demand for its services.

Coordinator Midge Turnbull said many young people had come out of the closet or were getting in touch with the centre to meet young people in similar situations because of the public debate. Most were aged between 14 and 17.

"About 15 young people visit the centre each day and every week sees about 12 new people come along for help and advice, or just to socialise," she said.

Ms Turnbull said the centre received about 10 e-mails a week from young people, some of whom were experiencing discrimination and abuse.

"The current laws are hurting people and their families," she said. "We desperately need anti-discrimination laws and better education in schools."

Democrats legal affairs spokesman Brian Greig said opposition to gay law reform showed there were many West Australians who did not believe in equal rights for all.

The proposed measures were not radical or unique but simply a method by which all citizens would be treated fairly and equally.

The United Nations recognised that sexuality discrimination was wrong and called on all countries to end discrimination.