LGS HOME PAGES: http://www.josken.net

ISSN 1446-4896

The office of the Ombudsman has finalised its report regarding police behaviour at the Fred Nile Rally held in King's Cross in October 1990.

The general outcome is that not enough evidence was found to prove police brutality and illegality. This applies to the police agreements prior to the rally, their use of horses against the gay and lesbian counter demonstrators, excessive violence (unprovoked) against gay/ lesbian/ progressive demonstrators, and the questioning of arrestees about their HIV status.

The investigation was forced to arrive at these conclusions due to a lack of evidence. A number of complainants did not follow up by keeping their appointments with the investigators.

This does not mean that the police are not guilty. It simply means that through a combination of lying (on their part) and lack of evidence forthcoming from our side, they could not be prosecuted.

The report ends by stating that a 'reinvestigation would not be in the public interest, because of the nature of the clash between demonstrators and police, a large number of witnesses would be involved, and given the interval of time, it would be unlikely that such a reinvestigation would be able to make definite findings on the complaints.'

It is also our understanding, that the Office of the Ombudsman is underfunded. This means that while the state makes concessions by setting up institutions, such as these, it then underfunds them. which undermines their effectiveness.

Meantime, one complaint does remain outstanding and subject to further court proceedings. Depending on whether the court does find the police guilty, the Office of the Ombudsman will make a separate determination on the issue.

A new Gay group has been formed in Chile. It is called MOVILH (Movimiento de Liberacion Homosexual). The group was created in the wake of the 1991 Gay pride day. Since July 1991, the group has developed a strong structure and working basis and has started establishing links with gay life in Santiago. It also got in touch with the leaders of former gay groups of the country to capitalise on acquired experience.

The group is now fighting tho re-institution of a law dating back to the early 50's called "ley de antisociales". (The term anti-socials includes tramps, drunks, people without a fixed domicile, and homosexuals.)

Previously, this law was never implemented, but now there are moves to draft the required provisions to start implementing it. The sentences provided for in the law are up to five years in "work houses" or "agricultural colonies" (in reality forced labour camps), banning from specific places or regions, heavy fines and confinement in "appropriate treatment centres" (to cure the sick) with absolutely no time limit.

MOVILH can be contacted at Casilla 557-11 Nunoa. Santiago de Chile, Chile. (ILGA Bulletin 3/92)

This year the RECLAIM THE NIGHT march and rally, will be held on Friday 30 October, starting at 7pm. at the Sydney Town Hall.

Remember to circulate the petition demanding that the Nicaraguan National Assembly repeal its anti-homosexual law. Return the petition to LGS. PO BOX 380. BROADWAY. 2007, by the end of October.

Paul O'Grady. MLC, has distributed a discussion paper regarding the age of consent. As most of you are aware, in NSW, the age of consent for heterosexuals is 16, while for homosexual men, it is 18.

Lesbian and Gay Solidarity supports a push to equalise the age of consent. We see this as essential - there should be no difference between homosexuals and heterosexuals. Further to this point, we believe that equalisation should be achieved by lowering the age to 16 for all people. Conservative forces in our society will push for the raising of the age of consent.

In principle, there should be no such thing as age of consent. Sexuality is common to all humans, regardless of age. Legislation should only deal with matters of abuse of people, whether the people abused are young or old.

However, we acknowledge the difficulty in pushing for an absolutist position and believe that achieving an equal age of consent is essential. To achieve this, we must make sure that young gay men and lesbians, and their organisations, should be involved in the process of campaigning and agitating.

Just as important, is our linking up of this campaign with a demand for full rights for young people, whatever their sexuality.

PETER BALDWIN SEEKS OUR VOTES

Peter Baldwin, Labour Federal member for Sydney, recently held a meeting with members of the gay and lesbian community. With him was his newly appointed gay and lesbian liaison officer, Kris Cruden.

Obviously politicians havo realised the importance of the gay vote, in areas where we are present in concentrated numbers. So, the meeting was held, with smiles all around.

Of course, what wasn't mentioned was Baldwin's role, as Minister for Education, in the destruction of our higher education system. Pity no campus groups showed up to tell him what they think of him.

On our part, we gay and lesbian activists, should not be too accommodating to these politicians at the expense of solidarity with other groups, such as tho beleaguered university students. Besides, there are gay and lesbian students too. While Baldwin carries out his PR exercise, he is stuffing up our brothers and sisters on campuses all over Australia.

300 people, including a contingent organised by LGS, marched together on 26 September, to commemorate the death of John Pat., an Aboriginal young man, who died at the hands of the police. Tho annual march is also a public protest at the continuing oppression of Aboriginal people with the result, among others, of Black deaths in custody.

Typically, after the millions spent on the Royal Commision, hardly any of its recommendations have been acted on. Meanwhile with 34 more deaths since the closing of the Royal Commission, not a single police officer lias been prosecuted for manslaughter, let alone murder. The five officers charged with the manslaughter of John Pat were found not guilty.

GAYS & LESBIANS AGAINST RACISM (GLAR)

GLAR meets every second Saturday of the month at the GLRL Centre. 2nd floor. 74-78 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst. Meetings commence at 2pm. Contact by writing to PO BOX 9. DARLINGHURST. NSW. 2010

The NLP Lesbian and Gay group meet every third Thursday of the month, at the Trades Hall, 4 Goulbourn Street. HAYMARKET. at 5.30pm. Contact (02) 267 6820

Melbourne monthly newsletter of gay and lesbian activism. Contact: P O BOX 108. NORTH CARLTON, VICTORIA. 3054. Subscriptions; $15 one year. $6 concession.

Second Thursday of every month, at the Newtown Community Centre (opposite the railway station) at 8pm. Next meetings: October 8 and November 12.

Gay Men and Lesbians, who are Arab or of Arab Origin, to form a social group. Contact Tony Nicholas, P O BOX 139. CAMPSIE. NSW. 2194.

LGS wrote to the NSW Minister for Education expressing its concern that the racism component of the new Personnel Development, Health and Physical Education syllabus was being made compulsory, but not the homophobia component. The Minister's response stated that it was felt that the material was not appropriate for all secondary school students.

LGS has now written back to the Minister requesting a copy of the Homophobia component, and requesting an explanation as to why this material is not considered appropriate for ALL secondary school students. Bashings and harrassment continue unabated for those boys and girls who have had the courage to express their sexuality openly in what continues to be an increasingly hostile environment. This has got to be stopped and the only way to do it is to educate young people that homosexuals are 10% and more of the population and that the only difference between them and their heterosexual counterparts is their sexual preference.

CURRENT NEWSLETTER AND ARCHIVE OF PREVIOUS NEWSLETTERS

Mannie has a personal web site: RED JOS: HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISM

Mannie's blogs may be accessed by clicking on to the following links:

MannieBlog (from 1 August 2003 to 31 December 2005)

Activist Kicks Backs - Blognow archive re-housed - 2005-2009

RED JOS BLOGSPOT (from January 2009 onwards)

This page updated 18 SEPTEMBER 2014 and again on 26 APRIL 2017

Page 19