From: George Heard Date: Thu, 9 Jun 94 14:02:10 EST Reprinted without premission from The Mercury, Thursday June 9, 1994 STATE VOTE URGED ON GAY LAWS Tasmania's lobby against gay law reform wants a referendum on the state's controversial homosexual laws. The decision to seek a referendum was made at a packed rally in the Burnie Civic Centre last night organised by the anti-gay law reform group, Tas-Alert. Group spokesperson Frank Webb said he was pleased but not surprised that more than 700 people had attended the rally, the biggest public gathering in Burnie since the 1992 APPM dispute (Laurie 8 historical note - this dispute was over planned cuts - pardon the pun - to the number of trees that could be logged over a certain preiod of time, and APPMs liability to reforestation). He said that he was confident a referendum would show Tasmanians wanted the homosexual laws retained. It was possible Tas-Alert groups in Hobart and Launceston would organise similar rallies. Braddon MHR Chris Miles, recently elevated to the Federal Opposition frontbench, then into the hot-seat after issuing an advertising circular (Laurie 8 note - which taxpayers paid for!!!!) for the rally from his office, said the law reform issue had turned into an attack on states' rights. He said claims of discrimination by Tasmnaian gay activist Nick Toonen in a submission to the United Nations had been false. Butthey had raised the prospect of intervention by the world body in state affairs. Although the controversial rally circular was headlined "Say No to Sodomy", Mr Miles, whose hardline stance on homosexual laws is believed to have embarrassed his party, did not mention the word sodomy once in his speech. The media received a verbal barrage from veteran MLC George Brookes. The long-time champion of Tasmania's homosexual laws told his audience the media had abandoned "the principles of true journalism" in its reporting of the issue. "This forum would not have been necessary if the media had done its job properly", he said. "I would like to say thank you to the homosexual lobby for coming out tonight because if they hadn't been here the media wouldn't have been here. "I have learned for bitter experience that the media are not concerned with you and I," he told his audience. "They are concerned with the homosexual lobby. (Laurie 8 note, probably because the homosexual lobby don't spit in your face while talking to you) "Members of the homosexual lobby have only to sneeze adn they've got reporters pushing microphones in their nose." (Laurie 8 note - !?!) Outside the civic centre about 100 gay law reform supporters held a candlelight vigil. But they did not have the TV cameras to themselves. A man holding a sign reading "Gay is not OK" told reporters he knew he was right because the bible said so. And Rodney Cooper, the man who organised the big anti-law reform rallies of 1989, was there too, with a placard reading "God's rules, not UN rules". Gay rights activist Rodney Croome handed out candles and gave media interviews. He said he hoped the vigil would show people at the rally those wanting changes to Tasmania's homosexual laws were ordinary human beings who were no threat to society. Laurie (call me an ordinary human being, will you, hmmmm?) 8