human rights

Nominate a homophobic comment for a GLORIA

Penny Sharpe — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 23:29:59 -0600

Have you ever yelled at the television, newspaper, radio or the computer when you have seen yet another offensive or stupid comment about the GLBTI community?

I have.

Tired of yelling, I have started a fun awards night called the GLORIA's (Gay and Lesbian, Outrageous, Ridiculous, Ignorant comments Awards)

I want you to nominate the comment that has most annoyed, angered, outraged or bemused you in the past year.

Comments can be nominated in seven categories (Media, Sport, Politics, Law, Religion, Online and Silliest GLBTI comment made from within the GLBTI community) until Thursday 22 April 2010.

Online voting for the shortlisted comments will open on Tuesday 27 April.

Voting closes at the GLORIAs awards dinner being held at NSW Parliament House on the International Day Against Homophobia Monday 17 May, 2010.

If you need inspiration think Tony Abbott's recent forays into the threatening (or not) nature of homosexuals or Eddie Maguire's handling of men's ice skating.

If you want to get more serious consider the example from the US where a gun lobbyist called Ron Owen produced bumper stickers that said :

"Gay Rights? Under God's law the only rights gays have is the right to die."

Or for an Australian example think Jeff Kennett's remarks in 2008 where he supported a football club for sacking a trainer because he was gay with the comments:

"It's the same if you have a paedophile there as a masseur, right?... And you might say the paedophile would do no damage, but once it was pointed out to you, you have a duty of care to those underage children not to put them in a situation of risk."

You can check out all the details about the GLORIA's on the website.

Oh - you are of course invited to the dinner that is going to be MC'd by author, journalist and commentator David Marr. The dinner is at NSW Parliament House and comes with a no boring speeches guarantee.

Why the Internet filter is not the solution we wish it was

Penny Sharpe — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 20:00:48 -0700

Yesterday's announcement by Senator Stephen Conroy that the federal government will introduce "mandatory ISP-level filtering of Refused Classification (RC) -rated content" is a backward step that if adopted will be a triumph of fear and false promise over what works and good sense.

I add my voice to the many that understand that the Federal Government's proposals to filter the Internet are:

a waste of time
a waste of money
a false promise to parents that will not stop kids being exposed to undesirable content online
a move towards censorship that a democratic and free nation like Australia should reject

The proposed Internet filter creates a diversion from tackling broader issues of how the online environment (which also includes mobile phones and games) is rapidly changing social norms, expectations and behaviour.

There are urgent issues that need to be addressed: protecting children from inappropriate material, protecting privacy, cyberstalking and bullying, how to protect citizens from identity theft to name just a few.

The solution to these issues is not a mandatory filter. The solutions include the far more difficult, time consuming and gradual process of:

education for all citizens, especially parents and kids,
greater policing and investigation
greater resourcing to support families and communities, and
continuous law reform in the areas of privacy and communications.

With the roll out of the national broadband network and laptop computers, Australia has a once in a generation opportunity to roll out mandatory education on how to use IT -grasping the opportunity to enthuse and skill our citizens, at the same time having the one to one conversations about cybersafety and privacy that will have the greatest impact.

As a

parent of young children who is engaged daily on issues of internet use
MP who takes an active interest in child protection laws, policies & practice, and,
legislator who is sometimes asked to consider proposals driven by a desire for short term silver bullets rather than cautious consideration of the evidence and the need to give due consideration to democratic rights and freedoms,

I urge the federal government to consider other options rather than this proposal.

Come along to my Get Together to support a Charter of Rights

Penny — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 21:44:06 -0600

Next week I will be hosting an ‘Our Rights' Get Together to call for human rights protection in Australia. Across the country on 11 June, thousands of other GetUp members will be hosting similar events.

My Get Together will allow people to show their support for a Charter of Human Rights by making a short video or having a photo taken with a written message.

I'll be holding the event in the Parkes Room at the NSW Parliament from 5.00 to 6.30pm on Thursday 11 June. To come along simply RSVP here.

And remember: the deadline for the National Human Rights Consultation has been extended to 15 June 2009. If you haven't done so already get your submissions in soon.

Forums for the Public in Parliament

Penny Sharpe — Sun, 03 May 2009 18:27:51 -0600

One of the great things about being an MP is you get asked to host events on behalf of community groups so they can come and meet and hold forums in the parliament. These are usually open to other MP's and the public. It is a great democratic instituion and something that I try to do as much as possible.

This week I am hosting 2 events that you might be interested in:

- New Matilda is holding a series of events about internet regulation. As the intersection between politics, technology and the media continues to grow online, we're facing some hard questions. How do we regulate the world wide web?
Tuesday 5 May from 6pm in the Parliamnet House Theatrette. you need to rsvp to this.

- I support the need for Australia to have a Charter of Human Rights. The Evatt Foundation is having a forum on Thursday 7 May from 6pm in the Jubilee Room with Professor George Williams and the Hon Ron Dyer to talk about why they support a charter of rights. Come and tell us your thoughts as Evatt develops our submission for the Brennan Consultation.

4R's conference

Penny Sharpe — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 19:21:37 -0600

Yesterday I chaired a session at the 4Rs conference. The 4Rs is being held in Sydney this week and aims to shine light on the issues that Australia needs to take forward to build a more socially inclusive future.

My session was on GLBT rights and I was fortunate to hear from speakers, Mark Orr from ACON, Professor Jenni Millbank from UTS and Labor Senator Louise Pratt from WA. They articulated a very clear to do list of the reforms still needed.

One of the key issues identified was that although governments have taken great leaps forward in relation to law reform - it is cultural change where we need to focus - especially in schools.

One of the highlights of yesterday was a performance given by the Indigenous Hip Hop Project run by Beyondblue.

AusAid Family Planning Guidelines update

Penny — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:01:56 -0600

I have been watching with interest the debate around the current AusAid Family Planning Guidelines which has stepped up since Federal Labor set up a sub-committee to examine the guidelines earlier this year.

Last year, the All Parliamentary Group on Population and Development (PGPD), of which I am a member, strongly recommended abolishing the guidelines.

The Guidelines were introduced in 1996 by the Howard Government as part of a deal with Brian Harradine that bargained off the rights of women in developing countries for Senator Harradine's support for the Telstra sale. They prohibit information about abortion being given, or abortion services being provided, even when it might save the life of a woman. Information about what not to do in terms of accessing unsafe abortion is banned and only some forms of contraception can be funded with Australian aid money. Australia and the US are the only countries who have such guidelines.

The PGPD estimates that worldwide access to contraception and safe abortions would reduce maternal deaths by up to 35 per cent and child deaths by 20 per cent. And just last week, the PGPD, reiterated their call for the abolition of the guidelines. As the PGPD put it:

Australia has a responsibility to offer assistance in the full range of reproductive health care services and should not deny the rights women here have, to women in the developing world (where those rights are within the law).

This is an issue that I have spoken about before and I am looking forward to positive results from the review by my Federal colleagues.

HREOC's Sex and Gender Diversity Project

Penny — Sun, 25 May 2008 22:40:18 -0600

Following on from the Same Sex: Same Entitlements report into discrimination faced by same-sex couples, HREOC have released an Issues paper exploring the human rights issues faced by people who are transgender, transsexual or intersex.

The Issues paper is a short analysis of some sex and gender diversity issues and their human rights implications.

HREOC is seeking feedback about the most pressing human rights issues faced by the sex and gender diverse community in Australia. HREOC is also seeking input into how it might assist in promoting and protecting the human rights of people who are sex and gender diverse.

Submisions close on 30 May 2008. HREOC will collate the feedback to this issues paper and determine the scope and outcome of the sex and gender diversity project.

GLBT reform continues in NSW

Penny Sharpe — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:46:16 -0600

The Attorney General, John Hatzistergos today announced that the Labor Government will introduce laws that give parental recognition to lesbians who have kids together. The government will also move on an additional 50 laws to extend equal rights to same sex defacto couples.

This is important reform that gives children of lesbian parents equal rights in workers compensation and victim compensation payments, inheritance rights, recognition of both parents by schools and health authorities.

The reforms pick up on all the issues raised by the important GLRL publication and Then The Brides Changed Nappies... and mean that the law will now recognise the reality for many kids in NSW.

Action on Burma Rally 26 April

Penny Sharpe — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 21:55:28 -0600

26th April 2008 (Saturday) Time : 1pm

Venue : BELMORE PARK, Hay Street, Haymarket,SYDNEY 2000

Last night I attended a meeting of the Australian Coalition for Democracy in Burma. The meeting discussed the unconstitutional referendum in Burma scheduled for May 10. The ACDB encourages all who care about human rights in Burma to come to a rally on 26 April.

On 26 April 2008, The International Burmese Monks Organisation (Australia) calls for a Global Day of condemnation of undemocratic and unconstitutional Referendum announced for May 2008. We would like to invite you to join us for a Peace Walk & Prayer Service.

The military junta has written the Draft Constitution unilaterally without allowing the opposition political groups such as Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD), the 88 Generation Students Group and the Ethnic groups to participate. The military junta is not the elected representative of the people of Burma and as such has no mandate for this mission.

According to the draft constitution, the commander in chief of the armed forces is entitled to fill 110 seats in the 440-seat parliament with appointees from the ranks of the armed forces. And in the event of a "state of emergency," the commander in chief will assume full legislative, executive and judicial powers. Amending the constitution would be almost impossible without the military's consent. Three-quarters of parliament must approve any changes, which then must go to voters in a referendum.

Myanmar's military government set May 10 as the date for a referendum on a new constitution, which pro-democracy activists have rejected because it is a means for the generals to entrench their rule.

Although the NLD and other pro-democracy groups are calling for a "No" vote, they have little ability to campaign effectively because the regime has outlawed speeches and leaflets about the referendum.

Dissidents have no access to the media, which is tightly controlled by the regime. Copies of the constitution were only released to the public on Wednesday 9 April, when they were put on sale in government bookstores for nearly one dollar -- a price far beyond the means of most people in this impoverished country.

There is no guarantee of human rights or the freedom to practice religious beliefs in Burma. Innocent Buddhist monks chanting prayers for peace were brutally crushed by the military junta during September 2007.

Initially the monks only requested the military junta relieve the suffering of the average person on the street and invited the junta to the negotiating table for all inclusive peace talks with the ethnic groups and the National League for Democracy (NLD). This is now regarded as the "Saffron Revolution"

Although there is very little news from Burma, 50 million Burmese continue to suffer from a lack of human rights and democracy. Your support is needed for Burma

Please attend and show your solidarity with the Buddhist monks.

Train: Alight from Central station and exit at Eddy Avenue

More information please contact on

Sayadaw U DHammacara 0433 269 610

Dr Kyaw Myint 0427 417 620

U Maung Maung Myint 0437 470 464

Ko Thu 0421 418 449

A tapestry of tragedy and optimism

Penny Sharpe — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 00:36:53 -0600

With these wise words from Daniel Swaine I attended the opening session of the NSW Anti Homophobia Interagency Conference - That's So Gay. Daniel spoke eloquently of the experience of students in our schools and the need for our school systems to tackle hompohobia head on to provide safety and recognition of identity for same sex attracted young people.

The conference also heard from Azlan Currie. Azlan is a primary school student from northern NSW who happens to have two mums. She gave a very funny insight into her life and how she explains the ordinary to those who consider her life extraordinary.

Back at the office I came across this video Somebody's Baby made by Andrew Stopps who has made a video in memory of the amercian teenager Larry King who was killed by a fellow student, primarily as a result of being gay.