Homophobic anonymous election flyers are being circulated in the electorate of Australian MPs who supports marriage equality, claiming that if they are re-elected same-sex marriage will be taught in kindergartens.
An anonymous group appears to be behind three flyer campaigns targeting Australian politicians over their support for same-sex marriage by claiming that children will be forced to learn about it in kindergarten and implying very young children will be taught about gay sex.
The flyers do not identify the group behind them and show a photo of a child under 10 staring at a chalk board with the words, ‘sex education,’ and ‘Same-sex marriage, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transsexual,’ written on it.
The address listed on the flyer for the Moreton electorate of Labor MP Graham Perrett is that of the Queensland office of the National Civic Council – a group affiliated with the far right Australian Family Association.
‘When ‘gay & lesbian marriage’ is taught in kindy and school, children will be lead to believe that kids have no right to both a mum and a dad [and that] parents who disagree are bigots,’ the flyer says.
On the other side of the flyer is a photo of a crying toddler and the words, ‘I want my mum and my dad,’ and the slogan, ‘Loving kids and respecting their rights means keeping marriage law [sic] that puts kids’ needs first.
Perrett is a prominent supporter within the Labor Party and Labor leader Kevin Rudd has pledged to push for a vote on same-sex marriage in the first hundred days of his next term of government if reelected as prime minister of Australia.
GSN understands that similar flyers are being circulated in at least two other seats – the Brisbane electorate of Liberal same-sex marriage supporter Teresa Gambaro and the Ballarat electorate of Labor same-sex marriage supporter Catherine King.
The other flyers share many of the same graphics to the Moreton flyer but bare different authorizing addresses.
Campaigners for same-sex marriage slammed the producers of the flyers for waging a fear campaign that exploited children.
‘The people behind these flyers should be ashamed of themselves for running this kind of fear campaign against marriage equality, particularly one that involves children,’ Australian Marriage Equality (AME) national director Rodney Croome said.
‘We agree that the needs of children come first and marriage equality will do this by providing the children of same-sex couples with the chance to have married parents.’
Croome told GSN he would not be surprised if the flyers in the three electorates were the work of the one organization.
‘It seems too much of a coincidence that such similar flyers would be distributed across the country,’ Croome said, adding, ‘We’ll be seeking advice on whether the flyers breach the Electoral Act.’
Croome said he would not be surprised if the flyers backfired on those who had produced them.
‘Fear mongering that is this transparent impact may have the opposite impact of what was intended,’ Croome said.
GSN has contacted the National Civic Council and Australian Family Association for comment.
Author: Andrew Potts
Publication: Gay Star News
Date: 3 september 2013