Dear Attorney General,
I’m writing to you about the Tasmanian Government’s recent decision to ban Women Speak Tasmania from using public libraries.
According to an article in The Australian the women’s rights group has been blocked multiple times from booking meeting rooms because their discussions about gender policies in schools supposedly breach Diversity and Inclusion rules. They were advised that they’d have to be vetted for supposed ‘hate speech’.
Women Speak Tasmania is a women’s rights group, not a hate group. They are not anti-trans; they are pro women’s and children’s rights. Their objective is to hold peaceful forums about parental rights, education, and how gender ideology is being taught in schools — issues that a lot of parents are genuinely worried about. Silencing those conversations doesn’t make our community safer or kinder — it just shuts down one side of an important public debate.
‘Hate speech’ is, according to your own department, defined as involving threats, harassment, or violence, motivated by bias or prejudice. ‘Hate speech’ is not about people sharing opinions that others might disagree with.
Libraries Tasmania claims that staff or customers might “feel unsafe or hurt”. On what evidence? Show me the pattern of violent and threatening behaviour employed by Women Speak Tasmania used to silence and intimidate its critics? When they say ‘hurt’, what exactly does that mean? Physical injury? Or hurt feelings? If you banned every organisation, company and government department because they hurt someone’s feelings, society would grind to a halt. Why is Women Speak Tasmania being singled out and treated like criminals for expressing their views? Who makes the decision to ban them, and why is their opinion more valid?
Public libraries are supposed to be spaces for everyone — places where people can learn, question, and discuss ideas openly. If certain groups are banned because their views aren’t fashionable or politically convenient, that’s not inclusion. That’s censorship.
I’m asking you to please step in and make sure that Libraries Tasmania is upholding the basic principles of free speech and political belief that Tasmania — and Australia — are meant to stand for.
Tasmania should be a place where people can talk about difficult topics respectfully, even when they disagree. True inclusion means letting everyone have a voice, not silencing those who challenge the current orthodoxy.
Please act to protect free discussion in our public spaces.
Regards,
Anthony Johnsen