Tag: Tasmania
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Drag Queen Storytime and The Safeguarding Question
While researching lawfare in Australia, I came across the long-running legal battle involving Lyle Shelton. In 2020, Shelton publicly criticised a Drag Queen Storytime event at a Brisbane City Council library. He described the performers — Johnny Valkyrie (known as “Queeny”) and Dwayne Hill (who performs as Diamond Good-Rim in adult shows) — as “dangerous…
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From Sex-Segregated Spaces to All-Gender Design: Reflections from The Hub
On 29 May 2026, representatives from Women Speak Tasmania attended the Northern Suburbs Community Recreation Hub in Mowbray following an invitation from the Tasmanian Department of State Growth to inspect the facility’s all-gender amenities and discuss the design philosophy underpinning the project. As previously outlined in correspondence from Minister for Sport Nick Duigan, the Hub’s…
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Duty of Care and Safeguards for Women and Girls in Surf Life Saving Tasmania – Letter to the Board of Directors
Letter sent to the Board of Directors of Surf Life Saving Tasmania on 24.05.26 Dear Members of the Board, Re: Duty of Care and Safeguards for Women and Girls in Surf Life Saving Tasmania – Implications of the IRB Training for Women in Lifesaving Program Women Speak Tasmania writes regarding concerns raised by female members…
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What a Week! Reflections on Advocacy, Attacks, and Media Balance in Tasmania
Over the weekend, we at Women Speak Tasmania reflected on a very busy and, yes, quite exciting week. It started with a simple email to Tasmanian parliamentarians asking for “sex” to be properly restored and protected in the Anti-Discrimination Act. What followed was a pile-on of attacks on women advocating for sex-based rights. It began…
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How Tasmania’s Major Newspaper Frames Women’s Rights
On 20 May 2026, Tasmania’s major newspaper published an article that raises serious concerns about fair and accurate reporting on one of the most contested public issues in the state. Journalist David Killick opened his article in The Mercury with the following sentence: “Tasmania will not be changing its discrimination laws despite lobbying from anti-transgender…
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Opinion: Women Are Not “Anti-Trans” for Defending Sex-Based Rights
This week Women Speak Tasmania found itself discussed in Tasmania Parliament and labelled in media coverage as part of an “anti-transgender” campaign. The reason? We sent an email to Tasmanian parliamentarians inviting them to support the Women’s Pledge Australia and consider reforms to strengthen women’s sex-based protections under Tasmania’s Anti-Discrimination Act. Women Speak Tasmania is…
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Request for Right of Reply and Opinion Piece Submission – Email to Craig Herbert
Email sent to Craig Herbert, editor of The Hobart Mercury – 20 May 2026 Dear Craig, I am writing regarding The Mercury article published on May 20 written by David Killick concerning Women Speak Tasmania and our campaign relating to Tasmania’s Anti-Discrimination Act. The article characterised Women Speak Tasmania as “anti-transgender activists” and described our…
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Misleading Terminology and Lack of Balance in Rodney Croome Segment – Complaint to ABC
Email sent to ABC Hobart on 21 May 2026 Dear ABC Hobart Breakfast Team, I am writing to formally complain about the segment aired on 21 May 2026 featuring Rodney Croome discussing proposed changes to Tasmania’s Anti-Discrimination Act. 1. Misleading terminology (“biological gender”) The discussion used the term “biological gender.” This is scientifically inaccurate and…
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Tasmania rejects push to change discrimination laws targeting transgender people
Premier Jeremy Rockliff has rejected calls to ban transgender women from single-sex spaces after activists lobbied MPs to sign a pledge changing Tasmania’s discrimination laws. Tasmania will not be changing its discrimination laws despite lobbying from anti-transgender activists, Premier Jeremy Rockliff says. A mass email sent at the weekend has asked MPs to sign a…