Louise Elliot to face anti-discrimination commissioner over transgender comments

A Hobart City councillor could be in hot water over comments made about transgender women, but she denies she’s done anything wrong. WHAT WAS SAID >>

Tasmania’s Anti-discrimination Commissioner Sarah Bolt may investigate L. Picture: Chris Kidd

Hobart City Councillor Louise Elliot will answer to Tasmania’s anti-discrimination commissioner, following claims she incited hatred towards transgender women, an allegation she’s denied.

Next month, Ms Elliot will meet with commissioner Sarah Bolt and a third party, who referred the complaint to the commissioner.

“The Anti-Discrimination Commissioner believes I may have ‘incited hatred’ by stating that ‘transwomen are men’,” Ms Elliot said.

Louise Elliot. Picture: Kenji Sato

If the matter can’t be resolved through conciliation, the complaint could be referred to the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, which would determine whether Ms Elliot is in breach of the Anti-discrimination Act.

Equality Tasmania spokesperson Rose Boccalatte believed Ms Elliot had made several comments which were “hurtful” and “harmful”.

“Misgendering transgender and gender diverse people causes deep harm, denies our true sense of self and identity, and excludes us from the kind of inclusive community Tasmania aims to be,” Ms Boccalatte said

“[The comments show] a basic lack of respect for a community that already experiences a much higher level of violence and discrimination compared to the general population.”

Ms Elliot said she’d been vocal about transgender women because she believed there was an issue of fairness.

“This is several steps too far in terms of restricting speech and discussion,” she said.

“These are important issues that communities are grappling with worldwide and discussions need to be had because there’s a serious clash here between inclusion and safety, fairness and dignity for women.

“Nothing I said was in any way hateful, but some people disagree and don’t like what I said. “A mature society needs to be able to have hard conversations and that means making sure that the bar is set appropriately high when it comes to what is illegal to say.”

Ms Elliot said she wished transgender women well and looked forward to conciliation.

“I don’t wish anyone any harm and believe wholeheartedly that transwomen should be able to live safe, happy and healthy lives.”

It’s not the first time, Ms Elliot has been called out for her language around transgender women; in the lead up to council elections last year, she was called out for a controversial email sign off, and more recently she was a speaker at a rally, which protested the inclusion of transgender women in women’s spaces.

Anti trans activist Kellie-Jay Keen and Hobart City councillor Louise Elliot outside the Tasmanian Parliament as Equality Tasmania and LGBTQI+ supporters counter protest the Let Women Speak rally. Picture: Chris Kidd

Zelinda Sherlock, the councillor who released the email last year, said elected members had a responsibility to be respectful.

“In a system where you have been elected by the people, for the people, your behaviour and communication towards the community demands a higher standard fit for public office,” Ms Sherlock said.

“What cannot be conflated is this: freedom of speech is not a bottomless pit of freedom to discriminate.”

The state government is reviewing Tasmania’s local government sector, something Ms Sherlock said was long overdue.

“More equitable and effective mechanisms need to be brainstormed to hold elected members to account, particularly if they wish to take a deliberate dive into divisive discrimination,” she said.