I’m speaking at two book launches in two days! Konrad Muller’s new book about Henry Hellyer this evening in Devonport and Paula Gerber’s new book about transgender human rights tomorrow in Hobart. More details here tinyurl.com/wr38sf7j And here tinyurl.com/yre3b3sp

Congratulations to Hobart Hurricanes women’s captain Elyse Villani for calling on Cricket Australia to have a Pride Round in the WBBL as the Hurricanes look forward to their third Pride game. www.themercury.com.au/sport/hobart...

I’m looking forward to this book launch at the Devonport Library Wednesday evening. Hope to see my NW friends there. www.eventbrite.com.au/e/author-eve...

Today in Parliament the Premier, Jeremy Rockliff, confirmed that trans women are not excluded from Tasmania's women's prisons. qnews.com.au/tasmania-rej...

Thanks to the Done By Law podcast for an in-depth look at Tasmania’s groundbreaking financial redress for victims of our former laws against homosexuality and cross dressing. More here…https://www.3cr.org.au/donebylaw

A big thank you to the Hobart Mercury for publishing my article about what remains to be done despite Tasmania leading the nation on financial redress for victims of our former laws against homosexuality and cross-dressing. As you’ll see, there’s quite a bit.

Yesterday, the Australian newspaper said Tasmania has banned trans women from women’s prisons. Today, the Hobart Mercury reported that’s not true and the TasGov continues to allow trans women to be held in the state’s women’s prison. More here: ymlp.com/zm8GZg

Some groups continue to use extreme examples to seek blanket bans on trans women, this time in Tasmanian women’s prison. The current TasGov case-by-case approach is a sensible one that protects all women. Equality Tasmania has asked the Government to maintain and develop it. More: ymlp.com/zQe6ir

The Tasmanian Government Budget allocates funding for the state’s upcoming LGBTIQA Strategy. But more is required to address LGBTIQA discrimination and disadvantage. More here: ymlp.com/zk6hIm

Tasmania has officially approved a nation-first compensation scheme for people previously convicted of homosexuality offences, with advocates calling on other jurisdictions to implement similar measures. More in the comments.

In today’s Canberra Times I explain why there should be financial redress for victims of Tasmania’s former anti-LGBTIQA laws. www.canberratimes.com.au/story/910405...

Tasmanian’s groundbreaking financial redress scheme for victims of our former laws against homosexuality and cross-dressing have unanimously passed parliament. It’s a great day for victim survivors, for the LGBTIQA community and for cooperative politics. More details are here: ymlp.com/zHjIww

The Tasmanian Upper House has united behind financial redress for victims of Tasmania’s former laws against homosexuality and cross dressing. All now required is the technicality of the Third Reading Debate tomorrow. More here: ymlp.com/z844Ax

The Tasmanian Upper House has begun debating a bill to allow financial redress for victims of the state’s former laws against homosexuality and cross-dressing. You can pop down ro Parliament or watch here: www.parliament.tas.gov.au/stream/legis... Here I am before this morning’s briefing.

Peak education bodies including the Tasmanian Association of State School Organisations and the Tasmanian branch of the Australian Education Union support schools that are inclusive of trans and gender diverse students. See comments for more.

Equality Tas President, Dr Ash Russell, responds to the misinformed article in the Australian… “Tasmanian parents expect their child’s school to be free of discrimination, and want their children to be taught respect for other people.” More here: ymlp.com/zfkz7Ie

Great letter in the Hobart Mercury from Equality Tasmania President, Ash Russell, explaining why Tasmania is providing financial redress for victims of our former laws against homosexuality and cross-dressing.

An important reminder why conversion bans are needed and why you should be skeptical about the pseudo science deployed by the anti-trans movement. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...

Congratulations to the Tasmanian Health Department for bringing this public education campaign affirming trans and gender diverse people to the Rainbow Isle. qnews.com.au/tasmania-lau...

Equality Tasmania committee members, Lones and Trenton, had a great time staffing the Equality Tasmania stall at Salamanca Market on Saturday. The stall has distributed information and raised funds for Equality Tasmania since 1988. It is a symbol of our determination to achieve LGBTIQA equality.

“It was inspiring and deeply moving to see such an important reform receive unanimous support across the political spectrum.” - Yours Truly qnews.com.au/tas-lower-ho...

The Tasmanian Lower House has unanimously supported financial redress for victims of Tasmania’s former laws against homosexuality and cross-dressing. The photos say it all. More here: ymlp.com/zqyyvd

Thanks to Nicole Asquith and Justin Ellis for this great article in the Conversation today about Tasmania’s leadership on hate crime legislation and financial redress for victims of our former laws against homosexuality or cross-dressing. theconversation.com/tasmania-wil...

Here’s us before briefing the Tas Upper House today on a hate-crime sentencing bill. The law is the best in the nation for the range of people it protects and the way it identifies prejudice and hate. The bill will likely be debated in the Upper House in November.

Tasmanians convicted under now-abolished laws against homosexuality and cross-dressing could receive up to $75,000 in a landmark reform package. www.themercury.com.au/news/tasmani...

Tasmania Police have apprehended the young person who allegedly vandalised Pride flags in Launceston in June. More in the comments. More here: ymlp.com/zVq0SS And here: www.examiner.com.au/story/907257...

More in the comments.

Tasmania is leading the nation with legislation providing financial redress for those convicted under our former laws against homosexuality and cross-dressing. More here: ymlp.com/ztVP51

In this article in today’s Hobart Mercury I look at the two big LGBTIQA human rights challenges facing the new Catholic Archbishop of Hobart, Tony Ireland: ensuring Tasmanian Catholic schools comply with the Anti-Discrimination Act and protecting young LGBTIQA Tasmanians from conversion practices.

My case… 1. the NW Tas “Bible Belt” tag was b/c of 19th century evangelism which drove many people away from religion, and 2. the 20th century backlash to decriminalising homosexuality on the NW was really about fear of economic change. Views welcome. www.theadvocate.com.au/story/906039...

I’m told this contestant on The Chase this evening correctly answered “Tasmania”. It’s great the nation is reminded homosexuality was illegal until 1997. But don’t forget Tasmania then leapfrogged the other states: qnews.com.au/lessons-from...

More Tasmanian municipalities are listening to local LGBTIQA+ communities and taking action against discrimination. Yesterday it was the turn of Glenorchy. The Council auspiced an LGBTIQA inclusion workshop for about 40 staff members. Here are some of us after the session.

A big thank you to Glenorchy City Council and Working It Out for asking me to help present today’s LGBTIQA inclusion workshop at the Moonah Arts Centre. Special thanks to Scoutt Winter for their tireless efforts towards LGBTIQA inclusion at the GCC. Here’s Scoutt speaking.

“It is time for Australia to harness the power of proximity and authentic connection, as a way of enabling genuine relationships, improving visibility and combatting trans fear, bigotry, vilification and discrimination.” - Prof Paula Gerber missingperspectives.com/posts/can-pr...

“To prevent targeted violence, law reform such as this must be accompanied by community education, upskilling of criminal justice practitioners, new police data collections systems, and rehabilitation programs for convicted offenders”. - Prof Nicole Asquith More in the comments.

Here is my latest contribution to the debate on Hare Clark. It’s from yesterday’s Hobart Mercury. The article this letter-to-the-editor responds to is in the comments. So are some other responses defending HC.

Yesterday the Tas Lower House passed a law allowing a bereaved family access to post-mortem reports. Janet Rice advocated for this after being denied access to her wife, Penny’s, report. Penny died six years ago yesterday. Let’s dedicate this important reform to her memory.

The Tasmanian Lower House has unanimously passed new hate crime legislation which is the best in Australia and some of the best in the world. More from Equality Tasmania: ymlp.com/zkZsTp More on anti-LGBTIQA+ hate crime in Tasmania: www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08...

Today is the 193rd anniversary of the death of Tasmanian surveyor and architect Henry Hellyer. In this article in today’s NW Tasmanian Advocate I look at his various legacies, including being one of Tasmania’s first high-profile victims of homophobic bullying. More in the comments.

Thanks to Ruby Grant for this photo of her contribution yesterday to the interactive board at Queer Britain, the LGBTIQA museum in London.

For bus driver Bee Kingston, the launch carried personal weight: “As a proud member of the rainbow community and a current employee of Kinetic, I have a deep passion for ensuring every bus I drive is a safe and welcoming space for all.” www.busnews.com.au/hobart-pride...

“In the last few months, we have seen a number of companies withdraw their support from Pride events in other countries. So, it’s great to see companies like Kinetic increasing their support for our community.” - Trenton Hoare for Equality Tasmania qnews.com.au/hobarts-prid...

To mark Wear it Purple Day, Equality Tasmania board members Lones Crosse and Trenton Hoare were at Kinetic’s Pride Bus launch.

“It is not enough to celebrate finally having an openly bisexual player. The AFL community needs to take a hard look at itself, listen to what Brown is saying, and use this moment as the catalyst for long-overdue change.” www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/mo...

Hat tip to Burnie councillor, Giovanna Simpson, for these strong words against anti-gay slurs in today’s NW Tasmanian Advocate.

Comment from Equality Tasmania here: ymlp.com/z78vTK

Check out this great article by NW Tasmanian Advocate editor, Anthony Haneveer, about the damage inflicted by anti-gay slurs. More here...https://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/9047875/

This may well be the first and last time I’m in the sports pages. www.examiner.com.au/story/9046629/

“When players in the Tasmania Devils team finally run onto the national stage, they must be ambassadors for the more inclusive state we have become, not throw-backs to the anti-gay state we once were.” - Yours Truly www.examiner.com.au/story/9046629/