Doug PollardEqual Opportunity Rollback in the Legislative Council
Andrea Coote - still a friend of ours?
The Baillieu government rammed through it's rollback of equal rights yesterday by ignoring parliamentary precedent and having a second vote on its amendments to equal opportunity law. The Bill now goes to the upper house.
Past convention has been that a Bill cannot be voted on twice in the same parliamentary session: if it's lost, as this was when Mary Wooldridge failed to turn up, then it should have stayed lost Really Long Link .
The amendments, which leave intact the existing right for religious-run businesses (such as schools, hospitals, clinics, aged-care homes, adoption agencies and counselling services) to refuse to help gay, lesbians, transgender folk, single mums etc., restore their right to practice similar discrimination when hiring staff, even for totally non-religious functions like gardening.
Bear in mind that because of their presumed 'religious' character, these businesses are tax exempt. And most of them are propped up by taxpayers money - our money.
The bill now moves to the upper house, where the government majority is also slender: the lineup is Liberals 18 Nats 3 = 21 / ALP 16 Greens 3 = 19
One member of the upper house who has always been very supportive of LGBTIQ issues in the past is Andrea Coote MLC Southern Metropolitan Region Really Long Link
Her electorate takes in Albert Park; Bentleigh; Brighton; Burwood; Caulfield; Hawthorn; Kew; Malvern; Prahran; Oakleigh and Sandringham.
According to Wikipedia: "During her first term, Coote also became notable for her support of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities. . . Coote became one of a small group of Liberal Legislative Councillors . . . . that lobbied for gay-friendly changes in party policy. . . . . The Victorian Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby specifically singled out Coote for praise, describing her as "very proactive on gay issues.”
It's time for Andrea to step up to the plate again: let her know you expect her support for our community.
Electorate Office
Address 306 Bay Street, Port Melbourne 3207
Phone (03) 9681 9555
Fax (03) 9681 9792
Email Address andrea.coote@parliament.vic.g ov.au
