The Queensland Parliament has rejected a motion by Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) asking MPs to agree that allowing transgender women to play in women’s leagues would “undermine” their integrity and women’s rights.
Core items:
- Sports Minister Stirling Hinchliffe called the application “extremely right-wing”.
- The debate lasted only 30 minutes and the motion did not receive enough support to pass
- No one from the LNP spoke on the motion, but the party supported it
KAP leader Robbie Katter opened the short and tense debate by saying he was aware the motion would draw “a lot of anger and a lot of anger”.
“I think that’s important for parents – I’m a parent of a couple of young girls who will hopefully one day compete in a sport…imagining that they’re 15 or 17, past puberty, and against one or the other As someone who might want to switch to a woman, that doesn’t suit me,” he said.
“This isn’t to deny that person the opportunity to play sports – they’re welcome to play sports, and they should enjoy a great life in sports – but there’s a distinct advantage if you make the transition.”
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Mr Katter said it was important to introduce the motion because voters needed to know where people stand on societal issues in relation to the federal election.
No one from the LNP spoke on the motion, but when it came time to vote, the party backed it.
Mr Katter said he was trying to approach the issue “with the utmost respect for the other side of the argument”.
“You try to be tolerant of other people’s views,” Mr Katter said.
“But it always strikes me as odd that you don’t always enjoy the same level of tolerance and always invoke the word ‘bigoted’ and ‘hate speech.’
“That’s nothing against someone who falls into that category of transgender – God loves them all and welcomes them all.”
Liberal candidate for Warringah’s Sydney seat, Katherine Deves, has come under fire during the federal election campaign for making controversial statements about transgender people.
Katherine Deves takes the position that sex reassignment is “mutilation”.(delivered)
The motion from Katter’s Australian party read:
That this House supports women’s rights by agreeing that:
1. If biological males are allowed to play in women’s sports, the integrity of women’s sports will be undermined;
2. Anyone who supports biological males playing in women’s sport, regardless of age group, level or code, is complicit in undermining the integrity of women’s sport and therefore women’s rights;
3. Due to their insurmountable physical advantages, biological males participating in women’s sports pose an unfair competitive advantage and/or safety hazard to female athletes
“Trying to Cause Fear and Division”
Queensland Sport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said the government opposed the premise of the motion and would not support it.
“This is not a debate about sport or women’s rights, it is an attempt to create fear and division and unnecessarily drags a far-right trope into this Parliament,” Mr Hinchliffe said.
“I am surprised that the KAP is taking advantage of the relatively infrequent application opportunities offered by its private members on this issue, rather than something more relevant to regional Queenslanders.
“It is not the role of the state to determine who can and cannot participate in sport based on any factor, and gender identity is one of them.
Mr Hinchliffe and Labor voted against the motion. (AAP: Dan Peled)
“This Parliament, which makes blanket decisions based only on gender identity, is not only draconian and bigoted, it is also unjustified.
“[It is] indeed against every key concept of inclusion that is at the core of everything we do as government and that I hope everyone in this Parliament can embrace.
“We didn’t ask for your protection”
A handful of MEPs made further contributions to the debate, which only lasted about 30 minutes.
Nick Dametto, member of KAP for Hinchinbrook, said the party’s motion was about protecting women’s sport and he welcomed codes like the National Rugby League Women, which would be given a spotlight.
“After that we’re going to see an opportunity for guys who now identify as women who put on a wig and get into women’s sports because they might wash up at the NRL – that could happen,” he said, prompting audible protests from other members in the chamber.
Shane Knuth (left), Mr Katter (centre) and Mr Dametto (right) of the Queensland MP from KAP.AAP: Darren England)
At one point Ali King, Labor member for Pumice, exclaimed: “Women don’t want your protection, we didn’t ask for your protection.”
‘Repulsive’
One Nation’s sole member of the state legislature, Steve Andrew, voted in favor of the bill, telling parliament it was not about politics but about women’s right to compete fairly.
Both Green MPs spoke out against the motion, party leader Michael Berkman called it “repulsive”.
“It’s completely unnecessary to drag this disgusting conservative dog-whistle policy here,” he said.
“I think it is significant that we do not hear a single word from the opposition to speak against.”
Amy McMahon, Green Party MP for South Brisbane, said: “Rather than talking about healthcare, housing or climate change, we have seen the LNP and now the Katters drag trans people’s fundamental rights through the mud”.
“If we’re really serious about supporting women’s sport, let’s pay women athletes the same as men, put women’s sports on free-to-air television and on the news, and start programs to encourage women and girls to play sports,” said Ms. McMahon said the house.
The motion was easily defeated by a vote of 49 to 33.
sent 5h ago5 hours agoWed May 11, 2022 at 23:29, updated 5 h ago 5 h ago Wednesday, May 11, 2022 at 23:32
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