Victoria’s Local Councils Are Turning Rainbow

Loud verbal abuse. Thumping on windows. Physical intimidation. That was the scene at a Monash Council meeting in April. And why? Because members of the public gallery were outraged at an upcoming popular, booked-out, local community drag storytime event. They wanted it banned ‘for the sake of the children’. \

This attack has its genesis in a small yet vocal anti-trans movement responsible for other coordinated attacks.

In October 2022 – at a University of Melbourne forum on trans inclusion – a speaker railed against LGBTIQA+ inclusion campaigns for local governments in Victoria and Tasmania, arguing that LGBTIQA+ organisations are not entitled to be the arbiter of inclusion.

In March this year, an anti-trans gathering attended by neo-Nazis took place on the steps of the Victorian Parliament. This violent gathering shocked Victorians across our state and led to increased calls for the Victorian Government to urgently progress vilification reforms to protect LGBTIQA+ people from hate.

Rarely reported, a speaker at this event also verbally attacked Ballarat Council and its elected Mayor for the simple act of supporting an LGBTIQA+ Inclusion Plan.

Far-right Targets Councils

Unsatisfied with their waning influence at the state and federal levels – those behind this movement are now turning to the level of local government.

In Frankston, following attacks on Peninsula Pride, a member of the public gallery was ejected after yelling out that “12-year-olds [are] being sexualised by old men”.

In Hume, neo-Nazis have graffitied council buildings, targeting LGBT youth groups in particular.

In Melbourne, anti-trans activists have been harassing people outside Flinders Street station, testing the willingness of council officers to intervene.

In Stonnington, an end-of-year pride celebration designed for young people aged 12 to 25 was postponed the day it was meant to take place due to safety concerns. In Yarra Ranges, the council has closed the public gallery for its meetings due to verbal abuse and intimidation.

These events are distressing, oftentimes causing emotional harm to children – the very people the protestors say they are ‘protecting’. 

Rainbow Councils

In the face of these bigoted attacks, it’s important to recognise that this vitriol is a direct reaction to the very real progress that is being made on LGBTIQA+ inclusion by so many local councils all across Victoria. 

In April alone we’ve seen the following displays of pride, allyship and inclusion:

• Towong Shire Council decided to fly the rainbow flag and hold a community event on IDAHOBIT.
• Banyule City Council announced they are progressing feasibility of a memorial to people lost to discrimination and AIDS.
• Melbourne City Council made a powerful statement of solidarity in support of the trans and gender-diverse community.
• Monash City Council announced they will make a submission to the Australian Bureau of Statistics requesting the collection of LGBTIQA+ inclusive data in the Census.
• On top of this, many councils across the state publicly marked Transgender Day of Visibility on 31 March

Local councils, undaunted by bitter attacks, are working hard to deliver policies, programs and activities that progress LGBTIQA+ inclusion in their communities. 

The Equality Agenda

Local councils are responsible for enhancing the health, well-being, and safety of residents – they are designed to have their community’s back.

So, in the face of intimidation and hate, they are pushing forward to deliver community activities that increase social connections, create learning opportunities for children and their parents, and celebrate the wonderful diversity of their community.

And all across our state, the vast majority of Victorians have got their local councils’ back too. That’s why the scenes at the Monash Council meeting were met with a respectful, calm counter-protest – one that thanked Councillors for supporting their community, for standing up for inclusion, and for showing how love will always be stronger than hate.

Dr Sean Mulcahy is co-lead of the Victorian Pride Lobby’s Rainbow Local Government campaign.