Election 2022: LNP incumbent for marginal Qld seat ‘respects’ Katherine Deves views

An MP in the Liberal National Party’s most vulnerable Queensland seat has been questioned about the views of Katherine Deves.

An LNP MP says that he “respects” controversial Warringah candidate Katherine Deves’ views on transgender women being banned from female sport, saying the issue has been raised with him a “couple of times”.

Incumbent Terry Young was questioned about the issue by Sky News host Laura Jayes during a debate for the swinging electorate of Longman against Labor candidate Rebecca Fanning on Wednesday.

It is the LNP’s most marginal Queensland seat, held by just 3.3 per cent.

“I respect her views,” Mr Young answered.

“I’m not going to put my own personal views out there.”

Sky News host Laura Jayes quizzed Terry Young in the debate against Labor candidate Rebecca Fanning. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Mr Young later said that the issue had been raised with him “a couple of times … not many”.

“The point here is that we’ve got parents of daughters who are concerned that they’re going to be sharing a dressing room with someone who used to be a male, and also competing against those people and getting an unfair advantage and look I support them in that,” he said.

Mr Young, who was a Drummond golf shop franchisee, used one example at a golf club.

“One example I can think of was at a golf club … the ladies committee got very upset because there was someone who had transgendered over and was hitting the ball further and winning all competitions, and they weren’t terribly happy about it, but they just lived with it. But they weren’t happy about it.

“We’re talking about a social competition here … when you get to the elite level and things like that, that’s an issue as well.”

Terry Young said he respected Katherine Deves’ views but didn’t want to put his own out there. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Mr Young was asked to also comment on Ms Deves saying that “mutilation” was the correct terminology for gender reassignment surgery, seeming to retract an earlier apology for being offensive.

Scott Morrison, when asked about this, said gender reversal surgery for young adolescents was a “significant issue”.

He was then forced to acknowledge that it was not available to children in Australia when pressed on the issue.

But he said it was a serious operation at any age.

“Why should government be involved in that at all?” Jayes asked.

“Well that’s the Prime Minister’s views,” Mr Young said.

“What’s your view on it?” Jayes asked.

“At the end of the day that’s a choice of the individual and that’s the beauty of living in a democracy,” Mr Young said.

Ms Fanning said it was about “letting the experts determine what’s fairest for everyone”.

Rebecca Fanning said the issue should be left to the experts. Picture: Steve Pohlner

“But to be honest, I’m really focused on those issues that locals are raising with me and what they’re raising with me, is skyrocketing cost of living, real wages going backwards,” she said.

“The fact we have an aged care crisis in our country, and the fact that locals can’t get good local health care when they need it.”

Originally published as Election 2022: LNP incumbent for marginal Qld seat ‘respects’ Katherine Deves views