Plibersek faces backlash as ALP remains in the past

GLTB activist group ‘Community Action Against Homophobia’ raised hell last Thursday by erecting effigies of Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott on Taylor Square, and encouraging passers by to hurl eggs at them.

The group claimed this was a community response to the growing sense of community frustration over the major parties continued failure to abolish the Howard-era ban on gay marriage in Australia.

“Every time [Julia Gillard] says ‘marriage is between a man and a woman’ some young person has it confirmed to them that they are not equal in the eyes of society,” says CAAH co-convener Cat Rose.

“An egg on their faces is the least they deserve for ensuring the continuation of homophobia in Australia.”

It’s sentiment like this that the Greens are hoping to tap into in the upcoming Federal election, where it’s thought that general voter dissatisfaction with the ALP could see them seize control of the balance of power in the senate as former party loyalists switch teams.

Locally, the ALP is feeling the heat as well. Although she’s yet to have her offices egged, Tanya Plibersek, the Federal MP for Sydney, is facing the very possible threat of losing her seat to the Greens in the upcoming Federal election.

Ms Plibersek’s electorate is home to one of Australias largest GLTB populations, and despite her history of supporting gay rights, many think she is not doing enough to challenge her own parties current stance on gay marriage – and letting down her electorate in doing so.

Sydney is a freak of a seat, full of students, young un-wed adults, activists, and queers – it is a far cry from the demographics one associates with traditional strong Labor seats. Despite this Sydney has been held firmly in the ALP’s grasp since it was proclaimed an electoral division in 1969.

For Ms Plibersek the backlash brewing over over issues such as gay marriage could see this era come to an end, as past Labor supporters find themselves shifting to the Greens as the ALP moves farther to the right.

Unless Tanya Plibersek begins to confront her own party on issues such as these, the war in Afghanistan, and climate change (issues to which her metropolitan electorate is acutely aware and concerned about), she will can only watch as her ship sinks.

If not in this election, Sydney will be a battleground seat to watch in the coming decade.