Tim Wilson (Goldstein, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Small Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I still remember the words: 'We've seen through the whispering campaign the teals ran against you.' They were uttered to me at North Brighton station. Regrettably, I was not surprised. To give the House a flavour: ANU researchers published a study into homophobia targeted at politicians who 'were unfairly accused and ridiculed'. This indicated a single point of commonality: their sexuality.

Liberal MP Tim Wilson … received over 2000 tweets … Many were overtly homophobic …

I won't repeat the unparliamentary terms used.

I have good cause to make this claim. We have photos of campaigners actively propagating what the Australian National University researchers called homophobic slurs. To highlight this, not only do I have the evidence but I also received this message from a constituent on Instagram on 29 April: 'On Tuesday this week I had what I thought was a civilised, respectful and refreshing debate with two Zoe Daniel doorknockers. They told me they supported her because of her policies and her acceptance of the LGBT community, but they also said repeatedly that you were anti-gay, -trans and -LGBT rights, and it made my blood boil that they would resort to such low lies.' You are probably getting an insight into the comments that were being made. Sunlight is, of course, not the best friend of those who claim to be guardians of integrity.

I seek leave to table the article from the ANU study and the Instagram message.

Leave not granted.