Pride Month
Mr FOWLES (Burwood) (09:40): Every June worldwide Pride Month celebrates the LGBTIQA+ community. Most people would recognise this month from the sudden burst of commercial advertising in rainbow colours and new special pride edition products that appear on shelves from brands despite no previous allegiance to the cause, including, spectacularly, the Make America Great Again caps that come out in rainbow colours during this period. But it is time for those of us who take it seriously to reflect on how far equal rights have come and how far they still have to go. Since the creation of the equality portfolio in 2015 the Andrews Labor government has made incredible strides towards equality for LGBTIQA+ communities and Victorians, and indeed we have an LGBTIQA+ strategy that outlines our plans to continue changing laws and policies and to continue strengthening state-based services to drive meaningful change for LGBTIQA+ Victorians. It stands in contrast to those opposite, who in 2015 voted against same-sex adoption. In 2016 they voted against birth certificate reform, in 2018 they promised to scrap the Safe Schools program and we have just endured a federal election campaign with the demonisation of trans people thoroughly endorsed by the Prime Minister. The demonisation of trans people was put front and centre in a national debate, in a national campaign, due to the captain’s pick of the former Prime Minister. It was a disgrace, it was shameful, it was appalling conduct, and it should be condemned in its entirety.
Ms Kealy: On a point of order, Speaker, the member for Burwood has misled Parliament in his contribution. I understand this is against the standing orders, and I ask you to invite him to correct the record.
The SPEAKER: Order! There is no point of order. There is a prohibition on members deliberately misleading the house and there are forms for that matter to be raised. This is not an appropriate time to raise that matter.