About this site

The Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group is a community-based organisation campaigning for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender human rights in Tasmania.

The TGLRG led the successful 1988-1997 campaign for gay law reform in Tasmania, as well as subsequent campaigns for state anti-discrimination and same-sex relationship laws.

For more about these historic campaigns visit our archives.

Its ongoing activities include parliamentary lobbying, media liaison, community education and direct action. It has a commitment to visibility and community empowerment.

The Group continues to campaign for LGBT law and policy reform in Tasmania and nationally.

To find out more about what we're up to read on...

Only one way forward

This letter, in response to 'Balancing Acts trip up on tightropes', was sent to the Canberra Times on 31.12.08.

Dear Editor,

Victor Violante unfairly diminishes the ACT's current civil partnership scheme (26.12.08) when, in fact, it is one of the best of its kind in the world.

Unlike the UK civil partnership scheme, the ACT scheme has official ceremonies, providing couples with an opportunity to solemnise their union.

But unlike the New Zealand scheme, the ACT scheme makes these ceremonies optional, for those couples who don't need a ceremony.

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Priests warned not to violate anti-hate laws

This media release was issued by the TGLRG on 24.12.08

Tasmania's Catholic clergy have been warned that they may be in breach of the state's anti hate-speech law if they repeat controversial comments by the Pope comparing homosexuality to environmental destruction.

Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group spokesperson, Rodney Croome, said that any active dissemination of the Pope's views would constitute a violation of the state's incitement-to-hatred provision of the state's Anti-Discrimination Act.

"The Pope's comments will be dismissed by many people as absurd and out-of-touch, but it's a tragic fact that hateful comments by public figures encourage discrimination and violence", Mr Croome said.

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Concern over gay exclsuion for Social Inclusion Strategy / Call to strengthen Inclusion Commissioner's role

This media release was issued by the TGLRG on Tuesday December 24th 2008.

Tasmanian gay activists have welcomed today's announcement that Professor David Adams will be Tasmania's first Social Inclusion Commissioner, and have called on Prof Adams to include gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in the state's social inclusion strategy.

Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group spokesperson, Rodney Croome, said not one of the documents produced by the state's Social Inclusion Unit, including its pivotal Social Inclusion Strategy Consultation Paper, mentions gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender people even though they experience much higher than average levels of workplace discrimination, hate-motivated assault, poor health and educational outcomes, and other factors which contribute to social exclusion.

"The first job of the Social Inclusion Commissioner is to make sure the Government's strategy is inclusive of everyone who experiences discrimination and disadvantage", Mr Croome said.

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Tas Police liaison initiative welcomed

The following media releases about LGBTI police liaison were issued by the TGLRG and the Tasmania Police on 16.12.08.

The launch today of a new range of brochures and posters promoting the Tasmania Police gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex (GLBTI) community liaison officers has been welcomed by gay activists.

Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group spokesperson, Rodney Croome, said that police liaison officers provide a much-needed point of access and support for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex people who have suffered hate-motivated attacks.

"We applaud the Tasmania Police for continuing to take hate-crimes seriously and for ensuring their services are open and accessible to everyone."

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Council says 'sorry' for gay arrests

This media release was issued by the TGLRG on 11.12.08.

In a moving ceremony in the Hobart Town Hall last night, the Hobart City Council apologised for banning a gay law reform stall from the city's popular Salamanca Market and ordering the arrest of those staffing and supporting the stall.

In 1988 a stall gathering petition signatures to repeal Tasmania's laws against homosexuality was shut down on Council orders and over subsequent weeks more than 100 people were arrested defending the stall in what became Australia's largest ever act of gay rights civil disobedience.

The apology delivered by Lord Mayor, Rob Valentine, to an emotional audience of 200 former arrestees, LGBT community members and civic leaders including State Premier, David Bartlett, coincided with the 20th anniversary of the the arrests and the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

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Hobart City Council Apology: 20th anniversary Tasmanian Gay Law Reform Group's stall Salamanca Market 1988

This apology was offered by the Hobart City Council through Lord Mayor, Rob Valentine, at a civic reception at Hobart Town Hall on December 10th, 1988.

Tonight we pay tribute to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex citizens of our great city, as well as their families, friends and supporters.

We acknowledge their contribution to the life of our city, to its diversity, its prosperity, its culture and its values of friendliness, acceptance and equity.

Tonight we reflect on the prejudice and discrimination that many GLBTI people, their family, friends and supporters have endured. We also acknowledge the commitment of those who have defended the rights of GLBTI people.

Twenty years ago in September 1988 the Hobart City Council prohibited a gay law reform stall at Salamanca Market. This led to the arrest and banning from the Market of gay law reform stall supporters who were ordered by Council representatives to leave and who refused.

We acknowledge that there were members of Council at that time who believed what they did was right. But looking back at the discrimination, the pain that was caused to everyone involved, and the prejudice that was fostered in the wider community, the Council has now resolved that it will apologise.

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Equal Citizens in a Just Land: a response to the Hobart City Council Salamanca apology

This response to the Hobart City Council Salamanca arrest apology was given by Rodney Croome on 10.12.08.

Hi everyone,

I’ve been asked to respond to the apology we have just heard from the Lord Mayor.

I found this response one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to compose.

Reflecting on what happened 20 years ago raises many strong and conflicting feelings.

On the one hand I acknowledge and applaud the sincerity of the Council. It genuinely wishes to make amends for its actions, heal the wounds of the past, and build a more inclusive city on the basis of its apology.

I also recognise how historical this moment is. Never before has a public authority in Australia offered an apology for breaching the human rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people and our supporters. It shows how profoundly Tasmania has changed since 1988.

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Lobby calls for sexuality and gender anti-discrimination laws

This media release was issued by the Australian Coalition for Equality on 10.12.08.

Lobby group the Australian Coalition for Equality has today called on the Federal Government to enact laws to eliminate discrimination against people on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity without delay.

The group has welcomed the Federal Government's commitment to consult over a possible national human rights act, but says current laws need bolstering to give human rights bodies the power to determine sexuality and gender identity discrimination cases. More...

'Trespass'

What follows is the text for TRESPASS: a 20th anniversary photographic exhibition of the 1988 Salamanca Market arrests

TRESPASS is an initiative of the Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group with the support of the Gay and Lesbian Community Centre and the Hobart City Council GLBTI Community Liaison Committee.

The exhibition is sponsored by the Hobart City Council, curated by Roger Lovell, and will be officially opened by former arrestee, Richard Hale, at 5pm on Wednesday December 10th.

The organisers would like to thank the Mercury newspaper, Doug McGregor and Roger Lovell for permission to use their images.

The majority of photographs in the exhibition were donated to the TGLRG. If you know or are one of the photographers, or if you have any photographs or memorabilia associated with the Salamanca arrests, please contact Roger Lovell 0419 202 548.

All historical information and direct quotes in this exhibition leaflet are from Pink Triangle: the gay law reform debate in Tasmania, by Miranda Morris (UNSW Press, 1994).

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