Women Speak Tasmania recently met with Mayor Brumby to discuss community engagement and social inclusion policy. During the meeting, Mayor Brumby made it clear that she does not want Burnie to be seen as a “bigoted city.”
We raised concerns about the Burnie City Council’s decision to establish an LGBTIQA+ Advisory Group, which will guide the development of a new LGBTIQA+ Inclusion Community Engagement Strategy and draft action plan. While framed as inclusive, such policies can risk sidelining the voices of women—particularly when initiatives like unisex toilets compromise women’s safety, privacy, and dignity.
The Advisory Group is made up of LGBTIQA+ community members, councillors, and representatives from LGBTIQA+ organisations, with the stated goal of “addressing discrimination and achieving better inclusion.” Yet the absence of a dedicated Women’s Advisory body raises real concerns about whether women’s sex-based rights will be adequately represented or protected in this process.
We asked the Mayor: If Council adopts the demands of political lobby groups promoting ideological positions, does it risk being seen as bigoted against women who are simply defending their rights?
Women Speak Tasmania will continue to advocate strongly for:
- The inclusion of sex-based protections in all Council policies.
- The appointment of a Women’s Advisory Group to ensure female voices are not erased in social inclusion strategies.
- A balanced approach that protects all residents without sacrificing women’s safety, privacy, or representation.
Burnie must not replace one form of exclusion with another.
Related:
https://www.burnie.tas.gov.au/Council/News/2025/Burnie-LGBTIQA-Advisory-Group