Jacqui Lambie slams religious discrimination bill at TasPride rally as hundreds celebrate LGBTQI community

Dressed as Cleopatra as she marched through Hobart for the annual TasPride parade, Senator Jacqui Lambie took aim at the controversial religious discrimination bill.

DRESSED as Cleopatra as she marched through Hobart for the annual TasPride parade, Senator Jacqui Lambie has slammed the controversial religious discrimination bill as an “absolute shocker”.

The federal government’s bill has been criticised for its failure to protect trans, gender diverse and intersex students from discrimination.

“Well I’ve been sitting in parliament all week and obviously we’ve had the religious discrimination bill, which has just been an absolute shocker. Just another lot of disunity that the country doesn’t need,” Senator Lambie said after the parade culminated in a party at Franklin Square on Saturday.

Senator Jacqui Lambie, Pussay Poppins and Senate candidate Tammy Tyrrell after the Pride Parade at Hobart. Picture: Chris Kidd

“They’ve been through enough pain in their lives. So I’m down here to support them and make sure that pain is lifted as soon as possible, because as far as I’m concerned, the religious discrimination bill has gone into the bin.”

Parade MC Pussay Poppins said it had been an “absolutely horrible week”, but even that hadn’t managed to dampen the joy of those who attended Saturday’s parade and party for Tasmania’s LGBTQI community.

“It’s an amazing turnout, especially in the circumstances of Covid and everything. It’s also amazing with the week we’ve had with the religious discrimination bill going through, it’s just been an absolute horrible week for a lot of people,” she said.

“Having everyone come together and be together and be like ‘you know what, we’re here, we’re proud’, we’re just showing everyone that we’re still here and no matter what happens, we’re going to be fighting and strong.”

Pussay Poppins at Hobart’s TasPride Parade. Picture: Chris Kidd

Pussay Poppins said the annual TasPride parade had gotten “bigger and bigger” every year, giving a nod to key Tasmanian figures like Martine Delaney and Rodney Croome for spearheading the state’s LGBTQI movement.

“Just seeing everyone being so happy, after a really terrible week, seeing everyone so happy, the camaraderie of the whole community coming together to support each other, has just been amazing,” she said.

“From young and old, from so many different backgrounds. It’s been absolutely incredible.”

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