This article was originally published by the OUTInPerth. You can find the original article here.
Broadcaster Lucy Zelić has called on Opposition leader Peter Dutton to clearly articulate his position on a proposal that would pare back the rights of transgender Australians.
Warning: This story contains details which might be distressing for some readers. For 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention call Lifeline on 13 11 14. For Australia-wide LGBTQI peer support call QLife on 1800 184 527 or webchat.
The former sports journalist has become a prominent voice in the campaign to ban transgender people from participating in sport, and she’s currently presenting the Afternoon shift on Sydney radio 2GB.
On her Wednesday show Zelić said a recent interview with new Victorian Liberal leader Brad Battin had caught her attention for “all the wrong reasons” and left her “troubled” and “confused”.
In his interview Batton commented that he didn’t view himself as being a conservative, and he didn’t come from the party’s conservative wing. Zelić said she was concerned that many politicians from the Liberal party were no longer embodying conservative values.
“This idea that conservatism has become something that we should be ashamed of is actually quite shameful within itself.” Zelić told listeners and said that she was disappointed that state Liberal leaders such as Queensland’s premier David Crisafulli were not taking on key conservative issues such as abortion. and other issues that have been important for conservatives in the past.
Zelić said she had invited federal Liberal leader Peter Dutton on to the program, but he had not been available.
“I want to know that if he is voted into power, can we expect to see a return to conservative values,” the radio host said. “We haven’t seen it from the Liberals in some time.”
“I’m also interested to know how he feels about this issue of gender madness that has gripped the country. Males completing in women’s sports, entering women’s only spaces, males being housed with women in female prisons – how does he feel about that?
“He hasn’t spoken about this issue publicly.” Zelić said, noting that US President-elect Donald Trump had gotten a lot of popularity by announcing a string stance against people who are transgender.
“Does Dutton have the courage to call out this same madness?”
The broadcaster continued her calls for Dutton to make a clear statement during an appearance on Sky news later in the evening.
Appearing on The Late Debate Zelić said that the Gillard government had made an error when they amended the Sex Discrimination Act to include protections on the basis on gender identity and she’d like to see Dutton make a clear commitment to the provisions being removed.
She also said the legislation has allowed for a “slippery slope” that had led to several state’s allowing updated procedures for people who wanted to change their gender on official documents including birth certificates.
“We’re opening a portal to dangerous predators, pedophiles, rapists – you name it – to be able to go down to Births, Deaths, and Marriages, say that they are in fact women and change their birth certificates and be recognised as that.
“They’ll go and commit crimes, it will fall under women’s crime statistics, all of these issues will be pointed towards women, it is a farce and one of the greatest scandals of our time.”
“Does the Liberal party have a position on this? Is he going to introduce legislative change and put an end to all this madness?” Zelić asked.
Host Caroline Marcus said the Liberal party should adopt the proposals that have been put forward by Tasmanian Liberal Senator Clare Chandler.
In 2024 Marcus was criticised for her reporting that focused on a transgender teacher in Perth, and she previously complained about transgender women who retain their names after their gender transition.
Marcus said the decision from Gillard government to amend the Sex Discrimination Act had led to many pieces of legislation that she’d like to see revoked, including protections from vilification.
“That’s where a lot of the legislative problems we have in this country come from.” Marcus said. “The fact that gender identity is a protected attribute in our vilification laws which means it could potentially be an offence in Australia to use the wrong pronouns that someone doesn’t like.”
Sky New contributor Kel Richards said he believed that incoming US President Donald Trump would take action on transgender people playing sports, and his action would lead to a global domino effect.
“Trump has promised to ban biological men completing with biological women in sport.” Richards said. “When Trump does it, he sets a benchmark for the rest of the world, and conservative leaders like Dutton are going to see what he does, I think, be emboldened.”
Zelić said she wanted to see Peter Dutton make a statement on the issue now, while Marcus added her voice to the call for opposition leader to make a statement, asking “Are you going to take a stand on this?”
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