Analysis and updates on free speech, parental rights and women’s sex-based rights and safety
- From Tasmania to London: Women Around the World Say No Men in Women’s PrisonsOn Saturday 29 August 2026, women gathered outside the Old Bailey in London for a protest organised by the grassroots organisations No Men in Women’s Prisons and 199 Days Later The protest was centred on a simple question: why are… Read more: From Tasmania to London: Women Around the World Say No Men in Women’s Prisons
- The Female Factory Flash Mob Returns: A Protest Over Who Gets Remembered as a WomanCascades Female Factory Historic Site, Hobart — 13 April 2026 A first-hand account documented by Female Factory Flash Mob 2026 There is a particular irony in what happened at the Cascades Female Factory on 13 April 2026. To see it… Read more: The Female Factory Flash Mob Returns: A Protest Over Who Gets Remembered as a Woman
- “We Just Want to Play”: The Women Being Silenced in Community SportFor many women, community sport is not a political argument. It is where they meet friends, stay active, challenge themselves and belong to something larger than themselves. They train after work, turn up on weekends, compete, volunteer and support their… Read more: “We Just Want to Play”: The Women Being Silenced in Community Sport
- Sydney Rally: Women Gather to Restore Women’s Rights and Fix the ActOn Sunday 23 August, women and men gathered at Martin Place Amphitheatre in Sydney for the Restore Women’s Rights – Fix the Sex Discrimination Act Rally, calling for the restoration of sex-based rights in Australian law. Organised by Women’s Rights… Read more: Sydney Rally: Women Gather to Restore Women’s Rights and Fix the Act
- “This Is a Legal War”: Sall Grover Leads Call to Restore Women’s Sex-Based Rights in AdelaideOn Saturday 25 July 2026, hundreds of people gathered on the steps of Parliament House in Adelaide to call for the restoration of women’s sex-based rights. Despite the threat of rain, women, men, parents, students and parliamentarians stood together under… Read more: “This Is a Legal War”: Sall Grover Leads Call to Restore Women’s Sex-Based Rights in Adelaide
- Hundreds Gather in Brisbane to Restore Women’s RightsOn Sunday 12 July 2026, several hundred people gathered in Queens Gardens in the heart of Brisbane for the Restore Women’s Rights – Fix the Act! rally. The event brought together women and men from across Australia concerned about the erosion of… Read more: Hundreds Gather in Brisbane to Restore Women’s Rights
- Standing Up for Sall Grover and Sex-Based Rights – Melbourne & Perth RalliesOn Saturday 4 July 2026, women and supporters gathered at rallies across Australia in support of Sall Grover and calls to restore sex-based rights in Australia’s discrimination laws. Melbourne Rally – Victorian Parliament House Women gathered on the steps of… Read more: Standing Up for Sall Grover and Sex-Based Rights – Melbourne & Perth Rallies
- When Language Becomes Power: From US Supreme Court Clarity to Tasmanian ConfusionOn 30 June 2026, the United States Supreme Court delivered a landmark ruling affirming that states may determine eligibility for women’s and girls’ sports based on biological sex. In West Virginia v. B.P.J. and Little v. Hecox, the Court held… Read more: When Language Becomes Power: From US Supreme Court Clarity to Tasmanian Confusion
- The Resistance Lives On: Women’s Sticker Actions Across AustraliaFrom library books and pubs in WA to political offices and streets in Hobart — ordinary women are making their voices heard. During the last few months, Women Speak Tasmania has been receiving photos from women (and supporters) across the… Read more: The Resistance Lives On: Women’s Sticker Actions Across Australia
- AHPRA in the Senate Spotlight: Senator Henderson Grills CEO Over Treatment of Drs Amos and SpencerAustralia’s peak health regulator, AHPRA, is facing growing parliamentary scrutiny after Senator Sarah Henderson directly challenged CEO Justin Untersteiner during recent Senate Estimates hearings. In the exchange, Senator Henderson questioned whether AHPRA is truly protecting patients — or policing doctors… Read more: AHPRA in the Senate Spotlight: Senator Henderson Grills CEO Over Treatment of Drs Amos and Spencer
- Senate Estimates Expose Ongoing Chaos: Pregnancy for Men and Refusal to Define “Woman”During this week’s 2026–27 Budget Estimates hearings, two important exchanges once again highlighted the deep confusion and ideological capture within Australia’s key gender and human rights agencies. Pregnancy and “Potential Pregnancy” in Discrimination Law On Tuesday 26 May 2026, in… Read more: Senate Estimates Expose Ongoing Chaos: Pregnancy for Men and Refusal to Define “Woman”
- Terf Island is Rising Up — And Australia is Feeling the TremorsAn earthquake has hit Australian politics. The recent Full Federal Court ruling in the Giggle v Tickle case has left many Australian women furious. This is no small legal dispute — it is an event that could reshape Australia’s political… Read more: Terf Island is Rising Up — And Australia is Feeling the Tremors
- Lawfare in Australia: Consequences for Gender-Critical BeliefsUnderstanding the Conflict Between Gender Ideology and Gender-Critical Views In recent years, Australia has witnessed a growing number of complaints, tribunal proceedings, workplace disputes, regulatory actions, and court cases involving conflict between gender ideology and gender-critical beliefs. These disputes are… Read more: Lawfare in Australia: Consequences for Gender-Critical Beliefs
- Two Library Cancellations – Part 2: The Legal ResponseIn Part 1, we outlined the cancellation of two community forums booked at Libraries Tasmania venues in Burnie (March 2024) and Devonport (April 2025). This second part examines the formal complaints that followed and the current legal proceedings before TASCAT.… Read more: Two Library Cancellations – Part 2: The Legal Response
- Two Library Cancellations – Part 1: What Happened?Over the last two years, Women Speak Tasmania has faced the cancellation of two community forums by Libraries Tasmania after bookings had already been confirmed and publicly advertised. Both events concerned public policy, women’s rights, and laws affecting sex-based rights… Read more: Two Library Cancellations – Part 1: What Happened?
- Sall Grover Loses Landmark Appeal on Female SpacesOn 15 May 2026 the Full Federal Court of Australia delivered its judgment in Giggle for Girls Pty Ltd v Tickle. The court dismissed Sall Grover’s appeal and upheld (in part) Roxanne Tickle’s cross-appeal. It recharacterised the discrimination as direct… Read more: Sall Grover Loses Landmark Appeal on Female Spaces
- Tasmanian Women’s Health Funding HijackedIt all started with a screenshot and a little curiosity. A follower sent Women Speak Tasmania a screenshot of the successful applicants for the Tasmanian Government’s LGBTIQA+ Grants Program 2025. One entry immediately stood out: Women’s Health Tasmania received $30,000… Read more: Tasmanian Women’s Health Funding Hijacked
- Women Branded “Mischievous” for Defending Single-Sex ToiletsEquality Tasmania and activist Rodney Croome are determined to shut down opposition to gender-neutral toilets, branding women’s legitimate concerns as “mischievous misinformation.” In their posts, they reassure everyone that male and female toilets won’t be replaced — these new facilities… Read more: Women Branded “Mischievous” for Defending Single-Sex Toilets
- Lesbian Action Group Triumphs in Federal CourtOn 15 April 2026, the Federal Court of Australia delivered a significant verdict in favour of the Lesbian Action Group (LAG). Justice Mark Moshinsky allowed LAG’s appeal, set aside the earlier decision of the Administrative Review Tribunal, and remitted the… Read more: Lesbian Action Group Triumphs in Federal Court
- Dragged Out for Asking “Why?” – RANZCP’s Brutal Silencing of DissentAt the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists Congress in Melbourne on 4 May 2026, Dr Jillian Spencer was pushed to the ground by security, dragged down the stairs, and ejected from the conference — all for silently… Read more: Dragged Out for Asking “Why?” – RANZCP’s Brutal Silencing of Dissent
- AHPRA’s LGBTIQA+ Strategy: Affirmation First or Evidence-Based Care?An analysis of regulatory documents and what they may mean for clinicians and patient care Recent Freedom of Information documents released to Women Speak Tasmania provide insight into how the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) is developing its National… Read more: AHPRA’s LGBTIQA+ Strategy: Affirmation First or Evidence-Based Care?
- AHRC President Faces Questions Over Youth Gender Care and Women’s RightsOn 29 April 2026, Hugh de Kretser delivered his inaugural Australian Human Rights Assessment address at the National Press Club in Canberra amid growing controversy surrounding the Australian Human Rights Commission’s Equal Identities: A human rights review of the experiences… Read more: AHRC President Faces Questions Over Youth Gender Care and Women’s Rights
- APS Gender Care Statement Sparks Debate Over Evidence and GuidanceAustralia’s peak body for psychologists, the Australian Psychological Society (APS), has released a new position statement titled “Supporting the mental health and wellbeing of transgender and gender diverse people.” The document was presented as an updated, evidence-informed position on psychological… Read more: APS Gender Care Statement Sparks Debate Over Evidence and Guidance
- Human Rights, Sex-Based Rights, and the Questions Left UnansweredOn 21 April 2026, the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), in partnership with Tasmania’s Office of the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner, hosted the first event in its national seminar series titled “The Answer Is Human Rights” at the RACV Hobart Hotel. The… Read more: Human Rights, Sex-Based Rights, and the Questions Left Unanswered
- Is AHPRA’s Registration of a Trans-Identified Male as Female Putting Patient Consent at Risk?The recent registration of the trans-identified male Dr Beth Upton by Australia’s medical regulator has raised serious concerns among women across the country. The trans-identified male Dr Beth Upton, who began transitioning in 2022, is now working as an unaccredited… Read more: Is AHPRA’s Registration of a Trans-Identified Male as Female Putting Patient Consent at Risk?
- One Year Later: How Can Governments Continue to Break the Law on Women’s Rights?On Saturday 11 April 2026, women and men gathered in multiple cities for the #OneYearLater International Day of Action. Under the banner “ONE YEAR LATER — WE’RE BACK. OBEY THE LAW NOW! TICK TOCK”, they asked a simple question: “How… Read more: One Year Later: How Can Governments Continue to Break the Law on Women’s Rights?
- From Paris Punch to Policy Breakthrough: The IOC Finally Protects the Female Category in SportA Moment That Shocked the World It all happened almost in a flash. At the Paris Olympics in 2024, Algerian boxer Imane Khelif stepped into the ring against Italian female boxer Angela Carini. One powerful punch landed — and the… Read more: From Paris Punch to Policy Breakthrough: The IOC Finally Protects the Female Category in Sport
- Tasmania’s Department of Health Puts Ideology Before BiologyA recent article in The Australian highlighted growing debate over the language used in women’s healthcare and medical institutions across Australia. The article focused on a seminar hosted by UNSW Sydney senior research fellow Kerryn Drysdale — whose academic background… Read more: Tasmania’s Department of Health Puts Ideology Before Biology
- AusPATH Activism Silences Evidence-Based DebateIn a troubling display of activism overriding scientific discourse, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has bowed to pressure from trans activist groups, including the Australian Professional Association for Trans Health (AusPATH), effectively silencing a webinar by renowned… Read more: AusPATH Activism Silences Evidence-Based Debate
- Challenges Doctors Face When Challenging Gender-Affirming CareIn the evolving landscape of youth gender medicine, a growing number of medical professionals are raising alarms about the rapid adoption of gender-affirming care models. These models, which emphasize affirming a child’s self-identified gender through social transition, puberty blockers, and… Read more: Challenges Doctors Face When Challenging Gender-Affirming Care
- Excommunicated by the Regulators: Dr Andrew Amos and the New Scientific InquisitionIn a deeply troubling example of regulatory overreach, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), acting through the Medical Board of Australia, has imposed sweeping conditions on respected academic psychiatrist Andrew Amos. On 26 February 2026, Dr Amos — a… Read more: Excommunicated by the Regulators: Dr Andrew Amos and the New Scientific Inquisition
- The Perils of Prioritising Inclusivity Over Safeguarding in Respectful Relationships EducationRespectful Relationships Education (RRE) has the potential to play an important role in helping young people understand consent, boundaries, empathy, and mutual respect. When delivered responsibly, it can contribute to reducing bullying, harassment, and violence, and support healthier relationships throughout… Read more: The Perils of Prioritising Inclusivity Over Safeguarding in Respectful Relationships Education
- How the House of Cards Is Coming Down: The Queensland Gender Clinic ScandalFor years, Australians were told that medical gender transition for children was “settled science.” Puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones were described as safe, reversible, and necessary to prevent harm. Parents who hesitated were often reassured — or pressured — that… Read more: How the House of Cards Is Coming Down: The Queensland Gender Clinic Scandal
- Erosion of Trust in the ABC – A Tasmanian PerspectiveFor years, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) has partnered with ACON, the leading LGBTQ+ advocacy organisation, through programs like the Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI) and its Pride Network. While the ABC insists editorial independence is maintained, this close relationship… Read more: Erosion of Trust in the ABC – A Tasmanian Perspective
- Safety and Mental Health Concerns for Girls in the Miss Tasmania PageantWhy Biological Males Competing Undermines Child Safeguarding and Female Empowerment In February 2026, Mini Miss Pageants announced Lucy Violet Faulkner — a trans-identified man from Geelong, Victoria — as a 2026 Miss Tasmania contestant. The original social media post was… Read more: Safety and Mental Health Concerns for Girls in the Miss Tasmania Pageant
- Where Does Women’s Legal Service Tasmania Stand on Prostitution?Women Speak Tasmania recently noted that the Women’s Legal Service Tasmania website displays a modified Pride flag incorporating a red umbrella symbol. Many Tasmanians would understandably not recognise its meaning. The red umbrella is not a generic diversity symbol. Internationally,… Read more: Where Does Women’s Legal Service Tasmania Stand on Prostitution?
- Win for Parental Rights and Free Speech: Celine vs eSafety CommissionerIn a major win for free expression, the Federal Court of Australia handed down a ruling on 18 February 2026 against the eSafety Commissioner, led by Julie Inman Grant. The case involved Sydney mum Celine Baumgarten, who had posted on… Read more: Win for Parental Rights and Free Speech: Celine vs eSafety Commissioner
- How Gender Policy Is Costing Girls Their Sporting FutureTasmania’s gender law reforms, which prioritise self-identification over biological sex, are having profound and often unintended consequences for women and girls. These policies grant immediate access to female-only sports, change rooms, toilets, and services based solely on declared gender identity,… Read more: How Gender Policy Is Costing Girls Their Sporting Future
- A Witch Hunt in Burnie? The Campaign to Remove Trent AitkenBurnie City Councillor Trent Aitken, known locally as the “Boy from Burnie,” has been at the centre of ongoing controversy since early 2025 following social media comments relating to gender identity and transgender issues. What began as a Facebook post… Read more: A Witch Hunt in Burnie? The Campaign to Remove Trent Aitken
- From Founder to Dissenter: The Drew Hutton Greens ControversyThe suspension, expulsion, legal challenge, and reinstatement of Australian Greens co-founder Drew Hutton became a national flashpoint in debates over internal party democracy, transgender policy, and freedom of expression in pluralistic societies. Drew Hutton co-founded the Australian Greens in 1992… Read more: From Founder to Dissenter: The Drew Hutton Greens Controversy
- A Wake-Up Call for Women’s Sex-Based Rights in AustraliaKirralie Smith’s legal case marks a turning point in how Australian law treats women who speak publicly about sex-based rights. Her prosecution and heavy penalties for online commentary about women’s sport raise profound questions about free speech, political communication, and… Read more: A Wake-Up Call for Women’s Sex-Based Rights in Australia
- Australia’s Quiet Pushback Against a UN Expert Defending Women’s Sex-Based RightsIn late 2025, Freedom of Information (FOI) disclosures revealed a deeply troubling episode: senior Australian officials quietly attempted to undermine Reem Alsalem, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls. Rather than publicly contesting her views, elements… Read more: Australia’s Quiet Pushback Against a UN Expert Defending Women’s Sex-Based Rights
- Equality Australia: Equality for Whom?Equality Australia presents itself as the nation’s leading LGBTIQ+ advocacy organisation, dedicated to advancing equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer Australians. Founded in 2018 in the wake of the successful same sex marriage campaign, the organisation has… Read more: Equality Australia: Equality for Whom?
- The Growing Conflict Over Children, Gender Policy, and Government AuthorityAcross Australia, a quiet but profound shift is occurring in education policy. It is not primarily about pronouns, flags, or even gender identity. At its core, the emerging conflict concerns something far more fundamental: who has responsibility for children —… Read more: The Growing Conflict Over Children, Gender Policy, and Government Authority
- Working It Out “Language Matters” Session: Emma Clarke’s AccountIntroduction The following is an account by Emma Clarke of a Tasmanian Government-funded session run by Working It Out (WIO), titled “Language Matters”. The session was aimed at parents and focused on inclusive language, LGBTQIA+ terminology, and gender identity. Clarke… Read more: Working It Out “Language Matters” Session: Emma Clarke’s Account
- 199 Days Later March — Women Demand Action on Supreme Court RulingOn 1 November 2025, Women’s-rights activists marched through central London calling for the UK Government to immediately apply the Supreme Court’s landmark decision affirming that “woman,” “man,” and “sex” in the Equality Act 2010 refer to biological sex at birth.… Read more: 199 Days Later March — Women Demand Action on Supreme Court Ruling
- Institutional Capitulation: How a Melbourne Council Cancelled Helen JoyceThe City of Melbourne’s cancellation of a women’s rights forum featuring Helen Joyce stands as a stark warning about the fragility of free speech in Australia. What was intended to be a private, ticketed discussion on the impacts of gender… Read more: Institutional Capitulation: How a Melbourne Council Cancelled Helen Joyce
- Australia’s Sex Discrimination Commissioner Refuses to Acknowledge Biological SexOn 7 October 2025, during Senate Estimates (Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee), Australia’s Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Dr Anna Cody, was again pressed on women’s sex-based rights. What unfolded revealed a Commissioner unwilling – or unable – to acknowledge biological… Read more: Australia’s Sex Discrimination Commissioner Refuses to Acknowledge Biological Sex
- Women Betrayed: How Sex Self-ID Laws Put a Child Rapist in a Women’s Prison”The Victorian government has done the unthinkable: a male who raped his own five-year-old daughter is serving his sentence in a women’s prison. His “gender identity” was treated not only as justification for placing him among vulnerable women, but also… Read more: Women Betrayed: How Sex Self-ID Laws Put a Child Rapist in a Women’s Prison”
- Does Australia’s Sex Discrimination Commissioner Listen to Women?At the National Press Club address on 24 September 2025, Australia’s Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Anna Cody, was asked a direct question by Dr Megan Poore of the Women’s Advocate about whether she would use her powers to ensure that women’s… Read more: Does Australia’s Sex Discrimination Commissioner Listen to Women?
- Get the Men Out: Protest by Women PrisonersI was talking with this bloke about men-who-say-they’re-women (hereinafter MWSTWs) being housed in women’s prisons and he said to me: ‘It may well be that women prisoners don’t normally see it as a big problem and can deal with it… Read more: Get the Men Out: Protest by Women Prisoners
- Minister Gallagher Must Listen to Women as Stakeholders in Women’s RightsDuring Senate Question Time, Senator Pauline Hanson pressed the Minister for Women, Katy Gallagher, on the impact of amendments to the Sex Discrimination Act (SDA). Senator Hanson highlighted how the 2013 Gillard Government’s changes—replacing biological definitions with gender identity—have created… Read more: Minister Gallagher Must Listen to Women as Stakeholders in Women’s Rights
- When Sex Lost Its Meaning: How the 2013 Amendments to the Sex Discrimination Act Weakened Women’s RightsIn 1984, Australia passed the Sex Discrimination Act, a landmark piece of legislation that recognised the reality of sex and sought to protect women against discrimination on the basis of being female. It acknowledged pregnancy, family responsibilities, and the need… Read more: When Sex Lost Its Meaning: How the 2013 Amendments to the Sex Discrimination Act Weakened Women’s Rights
- Speaking Truth About the Impacts of Sex Self-ID: A Rebuttal to 2018 ClaimsIn 2018, several Tasmanian women’s organisations publicly criticised Women Speak Tasmania (WST) for warning that proposed amendments to the Justice and Related Legislation (Marriage Amendments) Bill 2018—which introduced sex self-identification into Tasmanian law—would erode women’s rights and compromise safeguarding. At… Read more: Speaking Truth About the Impacts of Sex Self-ID: A Rebuttal to 2018 Claims
- Melbourne Women Forced to Use Secret Symbols for SafetyIn 2025, Melbourne has become a battleground for women daring to speak about sex-based rights. Twice this year, women gathered peacefully on the steps of Parliament House — once on 26 April and again on 16 August for the Women… Read more: Melbourne Women Forced to Use Secret Symbols for Safety
- Landmark Australian Court Decisions Challenge Gender-Affirming Care for ChildrenA significant Family Court ruling during 2025 has placed Australia’s medical approach to childhood gender distress under new scrutiny. The case of Re Devin has raised serious questions about expert evidence, the role of advocacy in clinical practice, and whether… Read more: Landmark Australian Court Decisions Challenge Gender-Affirming Care for Children
- When Sex Becomes Gender: How Tasmania’s Law Rewrites Women’s RightsIn 2019, the Tasmanian Parliament passed the Justice and Related Legislation (Marriage and Gender Amendments) Act. At first glance, the law looks like a technical update—modernising language, expanding anti-discrimination protections, and creating new processes for recording gender. But beneath the… Read more: When Sex Becomes Gender: How Tasmania’s Law Rewrites Women’s Rights
- A Victory for Evidence-Based Debate: Women Speak Tasmania and the Emerging Role of AIIn an age of rapid information exchange, the quality of public discussion increasingly depends on the quality of the information available online. Women Speak Tasmania welcomes the growing ability of artificial intelligence tools, including ChatGPT and other large language models,… Read more: A Victory for Evidence-Based Debate: Women Speak Tasmania and the Emerging Role of AI
- The For Women Scotland Supreme Court Victory: A Landmark for Sex-Based Rights in the UKIn a unanimous decision on 16 April 2025, the UK Supreme Court ruled in For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers [2025] UKSC 16 that the terms “sex”, “man”, and “woman” in the Equality Act 2010 refer to biological… Read more: The For Women Scotland Supreme Court Victory: A Landmark for Sex-Based Rights in the UK
- The Louise Elliot Case: When a Public Authority Admitted Political Belief DiscriminationIn 2023–2024, Hobart City Councillor Louise Elliot brought a significant anti-discrimination complaint against the Hobart City Council. The case centred on allegations that council staff prevented her from booking a public venue for a women’s rights event because of her… Read more: The Louise Elliot Case: When a Public Authority Admitted Political Belief Discrimination
- Lawfare Against Cr Louise Elliot Enabled by Bureaucrats Elected representatives should be able to discuss matters of public policy — particularly contentious issues involving women’s rights, child safeguarding, and legislation — without facing prolonged legal processes for expressing political opinions. Regardless of where one stands on debates surrounding… Read more: Lawfare Against Cr Louise Elliot Enabled by Bureaucrats
- Women Speak Tasmania Conference 2024 – WestburyWomen Speak Tasmania held its three-day conference in Westbury from 20–22 November 2024, bringing together members from across the state for planning, reflection, advocacy, and fellowship. The conference began as a member-led initiative inspired by Emma, who recognised the value… Read more: Women Speak Tasmania Conference 2024 – Westbury
- Gender and Sexuality Inclusive Language – UTAS Ethics CommitteeIn October 2024, members of the University of Tasmania’s Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) received an email titled “Gender and Sexuality Inclusive Language – Guidelines.” The email, sent by Cynthia A. Awruch (Manager Research Ethics), was blunt: “It is the… Read more: Gender and Sexuality Inclusive Language – UTAS Ethics Committee
- Tickle v Giggle: Why This Case Matters for Sex-Based Rights in AustraliaThe Federal Court case Tickle v Giggle has become one of the most significant legal disputes in recent Australian debates about sex, gender identity, and single-sex spaces. The ruling is already influencing discussions about anti-discrimination law, women-only services, and how… Read more: Tickle v Giggle: Why This Case Matters for Sex-Based Rights in Australia
- Women Speak Tasmania Launches Our Official WebsiteWomen Speak Tasmania is proud to announce the launch of our official website! Since our founding in 2018, our mission has been clear: to protect, defend, and restore the sex-based rights of women and children in Tasmania. Over the years,… Read more: Women Speak Tasmania Launches Our Official Website
- Panel on Free Speech in Australia and Book LaunchRecently, the Free Speech Union Australia hosted a discussion panel at Hobart Town Hall featuring Irish comedy writer Graham Linehan, speaking about his book Tough Crowd. Linehan described his experience of professional and social exclusion following comments and comedy material… Read more: Panel on Free Speech in Australia and Book Launch
- A Dark Day for Women’s Free Speech and Right to Lawful and Peaceful Assembly in TasmaniaHow Tasmania Police fail to protect women from violence outside Parliament House In Tasmania we like to regard our state as a peaceful and accepting place where our people can safely and freely discuss the important issues of the day.… Read more: A Dark Day for Women’s Free Speech and Right to Lawful and Peaceful Assembly in Tasmania
- Robin Banks, Women Speak Tasmania and the WILPF Controversy: A Historical RecordIntroduction In late 2018, Women Speak Tasmania (WST) became involved in a public controversy that raised questions about freedom of expression, political disagreement, and the participation of women in debates surrounding proposed gender law reforms in Tasmania. The dispute began… Read more: Robin Banks, Women Speak Tasmania and the WILPF Controversy: A Historical Record
- The Dispute Between WoLF Tasmania and Anti-Discrimination Commissioner Robin Banks: A Historical RecordIntroduction In 2016, a dispute arose between Tasmania’s Anti-Discrimination Commissioner, Robin Banks, and members of the Women’s Liberation Front (WoLF) Tasmania during consultation on proposed reforms to Tasmania’s Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act. The dispute centred on recommendations that… Read more: The Dispute Between WoLF Tasmania and Anti-Discrimination Commissioner Robin Banks: A Historical Record
- Tasmanian Tribunal Refuses Exemption for Lesbian-Only EventsIn 2021, Launceston woman Jessica Hoyle, with the support of LGB Alliance Australia, applied to Tasmania’s Anti-Discrimination Commissioner for an exemption to hold lesbian-only social events. The aim was to create spaces exclusively for same-sex attracted women — events that… Read more: Tasmanian Tribunal Refuses Exemption for Lesbian-Only Events
- Tasmanian Forum on Conversion Therapy Laws Highlights Free Speech and DebateOn November 23, 2022, the Free Speech Alliance Australia hosted a forum at Parliament House, Hobart, to discuss proposed Tasmanian laws banning conversion therapy. The event, supported by Liberal MP Lara Alexander, brought together experts, survivors, and concerned citizens to… Read more: Tasmanian Forum on Conversion Therapy Laws Highlights Free Speech and Debate
- Reflecting on the Coalition for Biological Reality Forum “Gender Identity in Law”On 26 February 2022, Hobart Town Hall hosted the long-awaited Gender Identity in Law forum, organised by the Coalition for Biological Reality. Originally scheduled for 28 August 2021, the event was postponed due to COVID-19 lockdowns, but the determination of… Read more: Reflecting on the Coalition for Biological Reality Forum “Gender Identity in Law”
- How a Tasmanian Senator’s Defence of Free Speech Triggered a Vexatious Discrimination ComplaintIn July 2020, amid rising global debates over cancel culture, Liberal Senator for Tasmania Claire Chandler published a powerful Talking Point in The Mercury titled “Big names spark turning point against free speech attacks.” Senator Chandler highlighted the Harper’s Magazine… Read more: How a Tasmanian Senator’s Defence of Free Speech Triggered a Vexatious Discrimination Complaint
- Senator Chandler Holds Sport Australia to Account on Women’s SportTasmanian Liberal Senator Claire Chandler has shone a much-needed spotlight on the controversial Guidelines for the Inclusion of Transgender and Gender Diverse People in Sport during Senate Estimates hearings. In a robust exchange on 4 March 2020, Senator Chandler pressed… Read more: Senator Chandler Holds Sport Australia to Account on Women’s Sport
- Sex, Law, and Safeguarding: Why Tasmania Must Not Erase Women from the Births, Deaths & Marriages ActThe Women’s Liberation Front (WoLF), Southern Tasmania, has provided a detailed response to Equal Opportunity Tasmania’s (EOT) “Options Paper” proposing changes to the Births, Deaths & Marriages Registration Act 1999 (BDMR Act). Their message is simple: sex matters, and erasing… Read more: Sex, Law, and Safeguarding: Why Tasmania Must Not Erase Women from the Births, Deaths & Marriages Act
- Prostitution – The Global Humanitarian Disaster of the 21CAt a public event held at Parliament House in Hobart, Tasmanian advocate Isla MacGregor delivered a lecture examining Amnesty International’s 2016 policy supporting the full decriminalisation of the sex trade. Speaking alongside survivor advocate Simone Watson of the Nordic Model… Read more: Prostitution – The Global Humanitarian Disaster of the 21C