Mav post on gender law bid draws fire

INDEPENDENT candidate for the Senate Steve Mav has called for the resignation of Tasmania’s Anti-Discrimination Commissioner after he was asked to remove a post from his Facebook account.

The post opposes law changes before the state’s Upper House that would give parents a choice as to whether gender is marked on their child’s birth certificate.

In a letter to Mr Mav, the state’s Anti-Discrimination Commissioner Sarah Bolt asked him to delete the post after concerns had been raised by members of Tasmania’s transgender community.

“The image in the post depicts the threat of harm against people who are transgender,” the letter read.

But Mr Mav said the request to remove the post was a silencing of his political voice.

“I have no issue with activists criticising me, but to have a statutory officer ask that I take it down can only be interpreted as a threat to my rights as a political candidate,” he said.

Mr Mav, who ran as a candidate for the Legislative Council seat of Prosser in May, has sent a letter to Premier Will Hodgman calling for Ms Bolt to be removed from her position.

A government spokesperson said in a statement Mr Mav’s post was out of line.

“While the Government respects free speech, implying or inciting violence is a step too far,” the spokesperson said.

Tasmanian transgender activist Martine Delaney agreed.

“It’s a pretty revolting stance to take, but sadly I think it’s a sign of what’s to come after the Government delayed decisions on gender law reform,” she said.

The transgender law changes passed the House of Assembly and were sent to the Legislative Council last month but action was delayed until March.