Josh Burns (Macnamara, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Before I make my remarks, earlier today I misspoke in the House. I seem to have snipped the wrong part of my question, but, alas, we move on. It's been a long few weeks in parliament, and I'm looking forward to going home.

Earlier this year, we saw confronting sights on the streets of Melbourne as anti-trans activists were supported by a squad of hooded Neo-Nazis giving Nazi salutes. Since this time, we have seen a rise of far-right extremism in Victoria. The most recent targets of their threats have been the LBGTIQ+ communities, including drag story time. These targeted threats have forced local councils, in fear for the safety of staff and participants, to cancel pride events and drag-story-time activities across the state. These events are designed to promote inclusivity, diversity and acceptance, and they've been subject to hateful attacks by those who seek to spread division and fear.

As a society, we cannot allow this dark undercurrent to prevail. That's why I stand here in this place, in the House of Representatives, to say that I'm proud of the Rainbow Community Angels. The Rainbow Community Angels are a group dedicated to protecting LGBTIQ kids and youth events from being shut down by far-right extremists. Community members receive training and are marshalled on the day of events to form a peaceful line of defence, dressed as angels and spreading their rainbow coloured wings. Rainbow Community Angels were formed at the Victorian Pride Centre in St Kilda, in the heart of my electorate of Macnamara. So far, 60 community angels have been trained across Victoria to shield attendees at rainbow-family and drag-story-time events.

Last Thursday, a scheduled Pride Month drag story time was cancelled at the St Kilda library due to online abuse and threats made to council staff. In response to the Rainbow Community Angels, they held a pop-up drag story time. The pop-up event went ahead without a hiccup. Families, community members and council staff gathered peacefully and happily in solidarity, surrounded by 14 bright and cheerful rainbow community angels. Did the far-right extremists attend? Yes, they did. A small handful lurked around. They took photos and watched from afar as Frock Hudson read a story and led a rousing rendition of 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star'.

Prominent advocate and co-founder of Rainbow Community Angels Felicity Marlowe shared with me how important the demonstration was: 'When I was younger, 20 years ago, events for queer and trans youth were few and far between. Over the last decade we've seen a wonderful embracing of diversity and events that are open, free and accessible for all families to attend. Up until this year, drag story times were a celebrated part of the annual pride calendar for local councils. These very recent attacks, inspired by bigots abroad, threaten to see a return to a time when LBGTIQ family events were, at best, hard to find and, at worst, cancelled. These attempts to eradicate LGBTIQ people from community life must be opposed, and the Rainbow Community Angels are here to blow bubbles instead of hatred.'

As Fliss rightly points out, far-right extremists are copying what they see in the United States, where the Trump Republicans are whipping up homophobia and transphobia, not to mention significant anti-Semitism, to further their political agenda. In the US, this incitement to hatred has already led to events like the Colorado Springs nightclub shooting, where five people were killed. As legislators, we have a duty to ensure that nothing like that happens in Australia. My own personal experience in the Jewish community is of security guards out the front of synagogues every single week and security guards outside of schools every single day. To participate in Jewish life in Melbourne, and across the country, it's often a choice between going into a secure environment or not going at all. It's a choice for families to go into a community centre that is constantly having to be under watch and guard. It's a reality for so many people.

Fundamental to all of that, the hard work of volunteers and the hard work of the community to keep people safe, is a fundamental belief that, here in Australia, if you hold a particular religion, if you're of a certain sexuality or if you have a particular identity, you should be free to practice who you are peacefully and without restriction in this marvellous country of ours. I say in this place that the rainbow angels are helping to protect their community. I stand in solidarity with them, and I hope everyone can participate in our wonderful community life, free from the fear of persecution and threats.