Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Man becomes first to be convicted of hate speech against trans people in NSW

November 26, 2025 at 12:55 AM

Alastair Lawrie

@alastairlawrie.bsky.social

This episode reinforces need for NSW Govt to treat all forms of hatred seriously, not just some.

Sadly, they have not released the Sackar review into inciting racial hatred laws passed earlier this year, which should recommend expansion to other hatreds. #auslaw
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Man sentenced to community correction order after pleading guilty to threatening or inciting violence on grounds of gender identity

ABS confirms gender, sexuality questions in 2026 Census

November 26, 2025 at 12:51 AM

Alastair Lawrie

@alastairlawrie.bsky.social

While inclusion of sexuality & gender identity questions in 2026 (for people aged 16+) is welcome, let's not forget PM Albanese broke his promise by:

-excluding trans & gender diverse kids (contrary to ABS advice) &
-excluding intersex people entirely.

#aushealth
www.outinperth.com/abs-confirms...

The new questions will provide vital data for understanding Australia’s LGBTQ+ populations.

Liberal senator Sarah Henderson says it's time for a "very big fight" on trans ideology

November 26, 2025 at 12:49 AM

Alastair Lawrie

@alastairlawrie.bsky.social

Of all the genuine issues affecting our community, Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson keeps trying to invent one, in her war against the trans community. #auspol #transphobia
www.outinperth.com/liberal-sena...

Sarah Henderson says changing the Sex Discrimination Act to remove protections for transgender people will be a priority for the opposition.

Trans Awareness Week, what it means to me

November 18, 2025 at 9:35 PM

Alastair Lawrie

@alastairlawrie.bsky.social

"The marking of Trans Day of Remembrance on 20th November then offers a chance for trans communities and allies to gather and mourn the trans people we’ve lost to hate violence in the year prior."
qnews.com.au/trans-awaren...

When is a child responsible for a crime? Not everyone likes the answer

November 18, 2025 at 9:33 PM

Alastair Lawrie

@alastairlawrie.bsky.social

"The Justice and Equity Centre argued the laws would result in more children in prison." #auslaw #nswpol
www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw...

Legal groups and politicians are at odds over a legal principle which has long been key in keeping kids out of prison.

NZ Breakers refuse to wear pride flag patch at Australian NBL Pride Round

November 18, 2025 at 9:27 PM

Alastair Lawrie

@alastairlawrie.bsky.social

Urgh.
qnews.com.au/nz-breakers-...

School exemptions to discrimination law leave religious LGBTQIA+ teens unprotected

November 18, 2025 at 12:32 AM

Alastair Lawrie

@alastairlawrie.bsky.social

"LGBTQIA+ and religious young people are erased in this legislative environment, because it assumes that religious and LGBTQIA+ communities do not overlap. Our research shows this isn’t the case." #auslaw #auspol 1/3
theconversation.com/school-exemp...

Federal laws allow religious schools to discriminate against LGBTQIA+ people. New research shows religious and sexuality diverse teens fall through the cracks.

theconversation.com

November 17, 2025 at 9:52 PM

Alastair Lawrie

@alastairlawrie.bsky.social

"This isn’t feminism. It’s opportunism. It’s anti-trans politics dressed up as concern for our wellbeing." #auslaw 1/2
womensagenda.com.au/latest/stop-...

Stop using women in prison as weapons in your war on trans women

Women in prison are being used as weapons in a broader campaign of transphobia. It is grotesque political theatre.

womensagenda.com.au

November 17, 2025 at 9:49 PM

Alastair Lawrie

@alastairlawrie.bsky.social

"The predictable response is to tell LGBTQ people to be more careful. While safety advice matters, “be careful” is not a policy. The inquiry told us that hate will adapt if we let culture and society do the policing for us."
www.smh.com.au/national/gay...

Gay-hate crimes 2025-style: teenagers lure victims on dating sites

This is a pattern, not a scare story. Today’s attackers do not wait in known beats or coastal parks; they exploit trust and weaponise the phones in our hands.

Gen Z are ‘resisting cultural norms’ and coming out as queer earlier, but there’s a catch

November 16, 2025 at 10:20 PM

Alastair Lawrie

@alastairlawrie.bsky.social

Queer kids are coming out earlier, which is a positive sign.

Except if they are in religious schools in NSW, WA and SA - because the laws of those states, and the Commonwealth Sex Discrimination Act, *still* don't protect them against discrimination. #auspol #auslaw
www.smh.com.au/national/vic...

Gen Zers often realise their sexual identity earlier and quicker, a study has found, which had positive, but also risky, implications.

Tasmania rejects The Australian’s misleading claims on trans prison policy

November 16, 2025 at 10:18 PM

Alastair Lawrie

@alastairlawrie.bsky.social

The Australian deliberately misleading its audience on trans issues? Who could have possible guessed... #transphobia
qnews.com.au/tasmania-rej...

Trans air force members sue Trump administration over denied pension

November 16, 2025 at 9:55 PM

Alastair Lawrie

@alastairlawrie.bsky.social

"The legal action follows the air force’s confirmation it would deny early retirement benefits to all transgender service members with 15-18 yrs of military experience, a decision that effectively pushes them out of the military with no retirement support at all."
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Complaint slams government’s actions as ‘unlawful and invalid’ after air force revoked early retirement benefits

Concerns over rapidly escalating online hate speech directed at LGBTIQA+ communities

November 16, 2025 at 9:53 PM

Alastair Lawrie

@alastairlawrie.bsky.social

“We know anecdotally gay/bisexual men are being targeted on dating apps & trans women, & other gender diverse people, are being physically assaulted.

“This is not new, but it’s on the rise and there is genuine concern within the community about it worsening.”
www.outinperth.com/concerns-ove...

Prominent members of the Australia's LGBTIQA+ communities are calling for more action on the rapidly growing level of hate speech.

NSW Premier urged to fund specific legal support for LGBTIQA+ communities

November 16, 2025 at 9:51 PM

Alastair Lawrie

@alastairlawrie.bsky.social

"The Sydney based Inner City Legal Centre (ICLC) has called on NSW Premier Chris Minns to properly fund a dedicated LGBTIQA+ community legal service, warning that LGBTIQA+ people are being left behind compared to other states." #auslaw #nswpol
www.outinperth.com/nsw-premier-...

Sydney's Inner City Legal Centre (ICLC) has called on NSW Premier Chris Minns to properly fund a dedicated LGBTIQA+ community legal service

Fears Turkey considering massive rollback of LGBTQIA+ rights

November 16, 2025 at 9:49 PM

Alastair Lawrie

@alastairlawrie.bsky.social

Always revealing how quickly the PM can condemn antisemitism at neo-Nazi rallies, when he has consistently and studiously avoided condemning the anti-trans nature of the neo-Nazi attendance at Victorian Parliament in March 2023. #auspol

Albanese adds he is ‘concerned’ about neo-Nazi rally outside NSW parliament

The prime minister was asked about the neo-Nazi rally outside NSW parliament last weekend, and reports that members of a group that promotes white supremacist views intend to register as a political party.

Albanese said:

I am concerned about the gathering that was there. I condemn it unequivocally. There’s no place in Australia for the antisemitic display that we saw outside New South Wales parliament house.
The prime minister said the New South Wales government was “responding” to reports of the party registration. He would not comment on any individuals at the rally having their visas reviewed, but said:

I do note that people who come to Australia and then say that they are anti-migrants coming to Australia, I think that speaks for itself.

November 13, 2025 at 12:18 AM

Alastair Lawrie

@alastairlawrie.bsky.social

Having been to Istanbul in July, and seen the efforts of the local LGBTQ+ community to create an inclusive and welcoming environment, this is awful news.
qnews.com.au/fears-turkey...

After 150 visits in 20 months, Aboriginal brothers bring racial discrimination case against NSW Police

November 12, 2025 at 9:44 PM

Alastair Lawrie

@alastairlawrie.bsky.social

Reading articles on the 50th anniversary of the Whitlam dismissal is particularly weird when you are a progressive, but your grandfather was a Country Party Senator from Queensland who served 1965-75 and who therefore voted to block supply.

November 10, 2025 at 9:42 PM

Alastair Lawrie

@alastairlawrie.bsky.social

"Everyone should be treated equally by police under the law," Ms Gooley said. "But the data in our report and the experience of our clients indicates police are discriminating against Aboriginal children in how they conduct home checks of people on bail." #auslaw #nswpol
nit.com.au/10-11-2025/2...

Two Aboriginal brothers, aged 11 and 13, were subjected to more than 150 police home checks over 20 months - often in the middle of the night - in behaviour they allege was racially discriminatory.The...

nit.com.au

November 10, 2025 at 9:20 PM

Alastair Lawrie

@alastairlawrie.bsky.social

Devastating for trans and intersex female athletes.
www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/n...

IOC edges closer to ban on transgender women in female Olympic events

Sources expect the ban within the next six to 12 months with the IOC president, Kirsty Coventry, having pledged to protect the female category

Long lunches, Swiss bank accounts and a kangaroo scrotum: My decades pursuing Graham Richardson

November 10, 2025 at 9:13 PM

Alastair Lawrie

@alastairlawrie.bsky.social

It is extraordinary that our PM thinks this is the kind of person who deserves to have their funeral paid for by the taxpayer... #auspol
www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...

For a reporter whose career has been spent uncovering crime and corruption, the Labor senator was the one who got away.

150 police visits in 20 months: Indigenous mother takes action after her boys subjected to ‘relentless’ checks

November 10, 2025 at 8:54 PM

Alastair Lawrie

@alastairlawrie.bsky.social

"Over the next 20 months, the police visited their home to conduct bail checks more than 150 times. Often police visited in the middle of the night, or in the early hours of the morning when the children were asleep."
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Exclusive: A family has launched a court case against NSW police alleging racial discrimination is behind excessive bail checks