Australia Rights Battle Turns Ugly
by Peter Hacker
365Gay.com Newscenter in Sydney

(December 11, Perth) Legislation to bring reforms to gay rights legislation in Western Australia has turned into an ugly battle that is taking a heavy toll on GLBT Youth. 

Members of the state parliament have hurled vicious insults at one another making the chamber look more like the WWF than a government chamber.

Ads by a conservative Christian group aligned to the American Family Association in newspapers have tried to link homosexuality to paedophilia.

And, protests by right wing groups have attempted to provoke rallies by gay rights organizations.

All the while, the effect on young people has been devastating.

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 most were aged between 14 and 17.

Turnbull said many 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."

The legislation before parliament would strengthen job and housing protections for gays and lesbians, provide limited partnership benefits in wills and deciding hospital care, permit adoption, and IVF treatment.

It would also lower the age of consent to 16 for gay sex.

It is the age issue which has the opposition party and some religious groups seeing red, even though 16 is the age of consent for heterosexual sex.

In parliament, opposition MLA Rob Johnson sparked an uproar after likening the Government's social reform agenda to the nazi agenda of eliminating Jews during World War II. Johnson said the bill tinkers with "natural order" which is against homosexuality.

Johnson said the changes would promote allow homosexuals to prey on young men.  He then equated gay men with paedophiles. 

Premier Geoff Gallop said he believed Johnson would eventually regret his remarks during an emotion-charged debate. Opposition Leader Colin Barnett defended Johnson saying he had the right to express this views.

But, the most vitriolic rhetoric came in the form of newspaper ads placed by the Australian Family Association.  

Under the banner  "Wanted - Your Teenage Son" the ads claimed the reforms would lead to men having sex with 13-year-old boys.

The ad claimed that the planned laws would allow gay lobby groups to go into schools and promote homosexuality. 

The ad featured a picture of a teenage boy and said "many more boys will be seduced by older men if (Premier Geoff) Gallop's homosexual law goes ahead."

Following a complaint, the Advertising Standards Board ruled the ads were in bad taste.  The A. F. A. said it would ignore the ruling.

The government said it intends to have the legislation passed by Christmas.