#bennelong

Labor MP’s dad in homophobic outburst at polling booth

Warning: this story contains strong language of an explicit sexual nature.

A Labor MP in one of the country’s tightest election battles has been forced to apologise after his father made homophobic comments towards a Liberal Party volunteer.

Bennelong MP Jerome Laxale (right) and his father Alain.

Laxale’s father Alain was captured on film, seen by this masthead, turning to a man handing out Liberal pamphlets at a voting booth in Bennelong on Wednesday and asking, “How’s your boyfriend?”

The man replied: “I’m not gay, buddy.”

Alain Laxale then said: “How’s your bum? How’s your bum, sore today?”

“Excuse me?” the volunteer fired back.

Alain appeared to be responding to taunts inspired by a 2022 Daily Telegraph story about his son’s personal life, in which a woman complained the then newly elected MP had kept intimate photos of her.

No suggestion was made that Laxale had inappropriately shared the images, and he denied the complaint.

Volunteers at the Bennelong polling booth were photographed holding posters on Wednesday that said: “What are you hiding on your phone, Jerome?”

Jerome Laxale told this masthead in a statement: “I love my Dad, but the things he said were deeply offensive and completely unacceptable. He should not have said them. I’ve spoken to him and he regrets them, and apologises unreservedly.”

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton at a campaign event for Liberal’s Bennelong candidate Scott Yung, with Senate candidate Jessica Collins.Credit: James Brickwood

A letter from Labor assistant secretary Jen Light sent to the AEC on Wednesday said the party was considering referring Heart Party volunteers to police.

“At least three volunteers for ‘the Heart Party’ followed the local Labor MP, Jerome Laxale, around the area outside the PPVC – brandishing signs, making inappropriate comments and generally obstructing the movements of Mr Laxale and people who wished to engage with Mr Laxale,” the letter stated. “This may extend to seeking to interfere with Mr Laxale speaking to voters by harassing him, including standing over him and following him.”

Laxale, known as one of the best marginal seat campaigners in the government, won the seat from the Liberal Party in 2022, but a redrawing of boundaries means the seat is notionally Liberal with a wafer-thin margin of 0.04 per cent.

Liberal candidate Scott Yung’s character has also come under scrutiny after a series of stories in this masthead probed his campaign finance record during his 2019 state election run, and his ties to a Chinese Communist Party-linked casino high roller.

Check out Dr. Brett Goodin's recent article, published on The Conversation website: 

"Sailors’ journals shed new light on Bennelong, a man misunderstood by history"

Barangaroo was a Cammeraygal woman of the Eora nation. Women were the main food providers for their families, fishing from their bark canoes (nowie) with lines and hooks. They fished sustainably, only catching what they needed each day. The British invaded Australia in 1788, decimating the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations. Of those who survived, many were raped, enslaved or kidnapped. One of these was Woollarawarre Bennelong, Barangaroo's second husband. Kidnapped as a youth, he would go on to become the first published Aboriginal author. In his early life, he attempted to negotiate with the British colonisers, much to Barangaroo's anger. 

In 1790 British colonists plundered four thousand salmon fish in one day. This fish were presented to Bennelong and other Eora men by the British male officers as a way to establish authority. This was the beginning of environmental damage that continues to this day, and also diminishing women’s status as the main food providers for family and community. Barangaroo refused to meet with the British, to wear colonists' clothes, and to accept the displacement of Eora women. 

This art installation celebrates the mighty Barangaroo's stance by inviting the public to create ice fish which are then placed into a canoe and set alight each evening of the Sydney Festival. Check out my Insta Stories for more on Four Thousand Fish.

New Post has been published on https://qnews.com.au/alp-election-slur-hows-your-bum-sore-today/

ALP election slur: ‘How’s your bum? Sore today?’

The Australian Labor Party is in damage control mode after the father of a Labor MP made homophobic remarks at a polling booth.

Labor MP Jerome Laxale has apologised after his dad made homophobic comments to a Liberal Party volunteer.

The father of Jerome Laxale, the Member for Bennelong, on Sydney’s Lower North Shore, was caught on camera taunting a Liberal Party volunteer with homophobic language.

“How’s your boyfriend?” Alain Laxale asked the man, who was handing out Liberal Party pamphlets.

“I’m not gay, buddy,” the man replied.

Alain Laxale then asked: “How’s your bum? How’s your bum? Sore today?”

“Esxcuse me?” the Liberal volunteer countered.

‘Deeply offensive’

In a statement to The Sydney Morning Herald, which broke the story, Jerome Laxale said: “I love my Dad but the things he said were deeply offensive and completely unacceptable. He should not have said them. I’ve spoken to him and he regrets them and apologises unreservedly.”

Jerome Laxale pictured with his father Alain. Photo: @jeromelaxale/Facebook.

Anti-LGBTQIA+ voting record

While Jerome Laxale attempted to distance himself from his father’s remarks, the Labor MP has “voted consistently against” increasing legal protections for LGBTQIA+ people, according to They Vote For You.

The website, operated by the registered nonprofit Open Australia Foundation, tracks how politicians vote in parliament on various issues.

In November 2022, Laxale opposed an amendment to the Anti-Discrimination and Human Rights Legislation Amendment (Respect at Work) Bill 2022, introduced by teal independent Zali Steggall.

Steggall’s amendment involved adding the words “to achieve substantive equality for everyone, irrespective of gender or sexual orientation” to the bill.

Laxale also opposed amendments to the same bill put forward by Member for Wentworth Allegra Spender, which would have increased protections on the grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity, intersex status, pregnancy and relationship status.

The proposed amendments failed.

Jerome Laxale and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Photo: @jeromeaxale/X.

‘No’ to LGBTQIA+ Human Rights Commissioner

In August 2022, Laxale also voted against a proposal which called on “the Government to establish a Human Rights Commissioner for LGBTIQA+ people within the Australian Human Rights Commission”.

In May 2016, the ALP said it would “appoint a new champion for LGBTI Australians”.

The announcement by Senator Penny Wong and Mark Dreyfus MP said the party would “appoint a full-time LGBTI Discrimination Commissioner to the Australian Human Rights Commission” if elected.

Labor has failed to honour the commitment since gaining power in May 2022, drawing the ire of prominent LGBTQIA+ advocates such as Rodney Croome.

Barry Devine

IT Specialist | Human Rights Advocate

Candidate for House of Representatives, BENNELONG

Previous Elections: 

- March 2023, Legislative Assembly for Ryde, NSW State Election

Barry grew up in Haberfield, attending Fort Street high school in his teenage years.  Later he lived in Denistone East for 19 years and he then moved to Beecroft where he has been a resident for the last. 10 years.

Barry entered the telecommunications industry in the 1980s.  Starting with technical work, he advanced over the years to take up positions as project manager and operations manager.  In the 1990s he ran his own business for a number of years and after completing a management diploma, he worked for other organisations in various managerial roles before returning to operating his own small business again.

Barry decided to become a candidate for the seat of Ryde in the NSW state election to represent the people in his electorate in every way that he can.

"We all face many challenges in the near future, and I intend to actually uphold regular people's concerns.  My slogan is:  Your concerns are my concerns."

What Barry is offering the residents of Bennelong is an open door policy so that they can raise any and all issues within their electorate.  He will be a voice for all people so that their concerns get actioned and they can provide feedback.  This gives empowerment to the people.

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