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Alastair Lawrie

@alastairlawrie.bsky.social

790 followers 380 following 750 posts

Director, Policy & Advocacy at the Justice and Equity Centre. LGBTIQ+ advocate and writer: https://alastairlawrie.net Views own. He/him. Living on Dharawal land (Wollongong).

alastairlawrie.net

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Alastair Lawrie @alastairlawrie.bsky.social · Apr 7

New from me: My article 'Déjà vu for LGBTQ students and teachers in religious schools' has been published in the Australian Journal of Human Rights.
#auslaw 1/
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Déjà vu for LGBTQ students and teachers in religious schools

Successive Australian Governments have promised to protect LGBTQ people in religious schools against discrimination, only to break those promises. This includes the Albanese Government, despite the...

www.tandfonline.com

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Alastair Lawrie @alastairlawrie.bsky.social · 2d

Meanwhile, for as long as the Labor Govt refuses to appoint a dedicated, stand-alone LGBTIQA+ Commissioner at the Australian Human Rights Commission, they are effectively saying homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and anti-intersex prejudice are not as serious as other forms of discrimination. 3/

Alastair Lawrie @alastairlawrie.bsky.social · 2d

The Labor Govt broke their 2022 election promise to protect LGBTQ+ students & teachers in religious schools, & voluntarily handed a veto on this issue to the Coalition, who already showed they have zero interest in passing laws of this kind.

Meaning vulnerable LGBTQ+ kids & workers are screwed. 2/

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Alastair Lawrie @alastairlawrie.bsky.social · 2d

Two good questions from Greens LGBTIQA+ spokesperson Nick McKim at Attorney-General's Dept Estimates on Tuesday.

And of course, there are no good answers to either, because the Labor Govt's position on both lacks principle.
#auslaw #auspol #estimates 🧵1/3

Senator McKIM: Faith based discrimination. In all states and territories, laws currently protect LGBTQI+
students, staff and clients from discrimination in faith based schools and services. Last year, the Australian Law
Reform Commission recommended similar protections at a national level. The government, in my view, quite
bizarrely and unreasonably claimed that it needed bipartisan support before moving forward with such a
protection at a national level, even though anyone observing the parliament knows the numbers would be there to
pass such protections at a national level without the support of the opposition. Is that still the government's
position? If it is, could you explain why you have taken that position, given the disarray in which the opposition
currently finds itself?

Senator McKIM: Thanks, Minister. On another matter, the Australian Human Rights Commission has
dedicated commissioners for sex, age, race, disability, children, human rights and Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander social justice but not an LGBTIQA+ commissioner. The government has also, as you'd obviously be
aware, appointed special envoys for antisemitism and Islamophobia. There's rising hate and violence against
queer folk—LGBTIQA+ people—in this country. And some subgroups of that minority population are being
weaponised in political and culture wars—including by some in this parliament, I might add. Why is the
government not moving forward with appointing an LGBTIQA+ human rights commissioner, and why does a
cabinet that has a number of portfolios dedicated, quite rightly, to the needs of minority populations in Australia
not include a minister for LGBTIQA+ folk?

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Alastair Lawrie @alastairlawrie.bsky.social · 2d

“Work is currently underway to develop legislation that will prohibit conversion practices in WA, including the introduction of criminal offences and a civil scheme.” a government spokesperson told OUTinPerth.
#wapol
www.outinperth.com/wa-governmen...

WA government says its still progressing plan to address conversion therapy

The Western Australian government says its still progressing with development of legislation to ban conversion therapy practices.

www.outinperth.com

Alastair Lawrie @alastairlawrie.bsky.social · 4d

"The conservative justices repeatedly questioned whether the law was an unconstitutional regulation of speech & whether conversion practices were harmful enough to constitute banning them." #SCOTUS justices fine with torture apparently.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

US supreme court appears poised to overturn Colorado ban on ‘conversion therapy’

Ruling in favor of Christian legal group could undermine care and rights for LGBTQ+ youth across the country

www.theguardian.com

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Alastair Lawrie @alastairlawrie.bsky.social · 5d

“The research from Stubbs Terrace continues to be used to promote the idea that gender diverse children’s thoughts, feelings and behaviour can be suppressed, changed or corrected so that they become cisgender adults.” #wapol #aushealth
www.outinperth.com/rainbow-futu...

Rainbow Futures WA: Ban on conversion practices 'cannot come soon enough'

"The government must urgently introduce legislation to protect LGBTQA+ people from these abhorrent practices.”

www.outinperth.com

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Alastair Lawrie @alastairlawrie.bsky.social · 5d

Religious fundamentalists in the US are demanding the right to inflict psychological torture on young people - just as their counterparts in Australia are too.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Christian group ‘deceived’ supreme court about LGBTQ+ research, cited scholars say

Exclusive: Experts say Alliance Defending Freedom, arguing to revive conversion therapy, ‘profoundly misrepresented’ their work in case threatening trans and queer youth

www.theguardian.com

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Alastair Lawrie @alastairlawrie.bsky.social · 5d

"A new report published in The Medical Journal of Australia argues the UK’s Cass Review should not used as a guide for the care of young transgender people and argues that Australia’s approach to treatment is recognised internationally as best practice." #aushealth
www.outinperth.com/new-australi...

New Australian report says UK's Cass Review should not guide care for trans young people

Australian researchers argue that the UK's Cass Review is deeply flawed.

www.outinperth.com

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Alastair Lawrie @alastairlawrie.bsky.social · 5d

Such an important article, outlining historical trans conversion practices and their devastating impact, as well as the disturbing use of the 'study' which employed this psychological torture today. #trans #aushealth
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...

'Conversion therapy' survivor speaking out against trans health study

A decades-old psychiatric study is influencing current debates over transgender youth health care. But a new analysis led by a survivor says the findings were deeply harmful and dangerously misleading...

www.abc.net.au

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Alastair Lawrie @alastairlawrie.bsky.social · 5d

Mandatory minimum prison sentences are always wrong. #auslaw
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...

Coalition tries to wedge Labor on mandatory child abuse sentencing

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley raises the case of a trans child abuser as she seeks to pressure the Albanese government to create mandatory minimum jail terms for child exploitation offences.

www.abc.net.au

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Alastair Lawrie @alastairlawrie.bsky.social · 6d

A new National Children's Commissioner is appointed.

While the LGBTIQ+ community still waits for an LGBTIQ+ Commissioner, first promised by Labor under Shorten in 2016, before being abandoned by Albanese. #auspol
www.themandarin.com.au/300553-deb-t...

Deb Tsorbaris named children's commissioner

Deb Tsorbaris will become national children’s commissioner this November, bringing 12 years’ leadership in child and family services.

www.themandarin.com.au

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Alastair Lawrie @alastairlawrie.bsky.social · 6d

The Northern Territory Anti-Discrimination Commission has strongly condemn an unauthorised protest involving transphobic amplified messaging that occurred in Darwin on Friday. #ntpol
www.outinperth.com/nt-anti-disc...

NT Anti-Discrimination Commissioner raises concern over anti-trans protest

The commissioner says the unauthorised protest may have broken the state's anti-discrimination laws

www.outinperth.com

Alastair Lawrie @alastairlawrie.bsky.social · 8d

There is no good argument for why Izak Rankine remained eligible for the Brownlow. The AFL must do better. #homophobia
qnews.com.au/this-recent-...

This recent AFL homophobia blunder is a bigger scandal than Bailey Smith

QNews LGBTIQA+ News

qnews.com.au

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Alastair Lawrie @alastairlawrie.bsky.social · 8d

Sheetal Balakrishnan, senior solicitor at the Justice & Equity Centre, said Air New Zealand’s stance essentially treated Lilly as a pet:

"Assistance dogs are not pets. They're working animals that are highly trained to support a range of ppl with disability." #auslaw
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...

Settlement reached after woman not allowed to fly with assistance dog

Brisbane woman Lisa Robinson made a discrimination complaint following the incident, and the airline has implemented changes to its policy following a two-year review.

www.abc.net.au

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Alastair Lawrie @alastairlawrie.bsky.social · 8d

"The advice provided also confirms that the federal govt could ensure that prison is a punishment of last resort for kids, that kids can’t be held in adult prisons, they receive prompt legal assistance and that children aren’t tortured in isolation."
www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/federal...

Federal Government Has Power to Intervene in State Child Crime Crackdowns, Senior Counsel Advises

The leading barrister’s advice contradicted years of claims by the federal government that it does not have the power to intervene in state and territory matters.

www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au

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Alastair Lawrie @alastairlawrie.bsky.social · 9d

Just kidding - of course he doesn't.

What it does mean though is that he is a hypocrite, who supports protections for one set of beliefs or identity (religion) while opposing another (gender identity). For no apparent reason other than transphobia. 2/2

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Alastair Lawrie @alastairlawrie.bsky.social · 9d

It's seems like Chris Merritt has a problem with laws that protect the rights of people on the basis of their beliefs, including about themselves.

I guess that means he opposes religious freedom and discrimination laws too then... 1/2
www.theaustralian.com.au/business/leg...

www.theaustralian.com.au

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Alastair Lawrie @alastairlawrie.bsky.social · 10d

Imagine living your life tainted by this much prejudice against others, like people who just want to play sport on the weekend.
www.outinperth.com/kirralie-smi...

Kirralie Smith from Binary vows to take her fight to the High Court

Kirralie Smith has announced she'll be applying to the High Court to attempt to have her two year Apprehended Violence Order overturned.

www.outinperth.com

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Alastair Lawrie @alastairlawrie.bsky.social · 10d

"Slovakia has amended its Constitution to define sex as binary, to ban surrogacy arrangements and to ban gay and lesbian couples and any single person from adopting."

Was not aware they were so bigoted. #Slovakia
qnews.com.au/slovakia-pas...

Slovakia passes ban on 'gender ideology' and gay adoption

QNews LGBTIQA+ News

qnews.com.au

Alastair Lawrie @alastairlawrie.bsky.social · 10d

“A key purpose of the Action Plan is to reduce the impact and experience of stigma and discrimination and effects of minority stress experienced by LGBTIQA+ Tasmanians and to improve health outcomes.” #politas
qnews.com.au/tasmania-lau...

Tasmania launches trans and gender diverse campaign to reduce stigma

QNews LGBTIQA+ News

qnews.com.au

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Alastair Lawrie @alastairlawrie.bsky.social · 11d

No, they're not the same thing - but many of our experiences of discrimination share deep similarities.

And the same people who are targeting trans people now, will come after same-gender attracted people too.

Oh, and trans people have been involved in the fight for equality since the beginning.

Alastair Lawrie @alastairlawrie.bsky.social · 11d

Right now, the biggest concern is a rise in hate. “Trans women in particular are bearing the brunt of the level of hatred we’re seeing at the moment in our communities,” Varo says.
thepostsa.au/events/2025/...

From outlawed to out loud: Why SA’s gay law reform still matters 50 years on

Gay law lecturer Dr George Duncan (left) and a poster calling for people to demonstrate following his death Images: File

thepostsa.au

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Alastair Lawrie @alastairlawrie.bsky.social · 12d

I feel even better about my Bears/Lions beating my most hated team (yes, even more than Collingwood) on the weekend after Cats players posted this sexist and homophobic garbage.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09...

AFL community reacts to Cats' 'disrespectful' and 'embarrassing' Mad Monday

Kane Cornes labels Geelong's Mad Monday antics "disrespectful" and "embarrassing", after a slew of social media posts raises eyebrows across the AFL community, including one referencing his Seven coll...

www.abc.net.au

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Alastair Lawrie @alastairlawrie.bsky.social · 12d

This sentence is just bizarre: 'After the LGB movement won the end of structural discrimination, the T & the Q were added, & queer theory found a home in legacy LGB orgs.'

Is structural discrimination over? lol

Have I imagined trans contributions to the LGBTIQ+ movement my entire life?

WTF... 2/2

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Alastair Lawrie @alastairlawrie.bsky.social · 12d

Always sad when a long-time activist decides to torch their own legacy on the bonfire of transphobic talking points like Drew Hutton has, included in this poorly-argued opinion piece in the Oz. 1/2
www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/t...

www.theaustralian.com.au

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