FORCED OUT
Gay couple will sell up dream home due to abuse
AT 71-years-old, Bruce Gardiner should be enjoying retirement with his husband Derek.
Instead, the couple of 35 years says they have no choice but to sell their Toowoomba home and leave the city after suffering eight years of abuse from a resident.
The abuse started when the resident learned the couple was gay.
The homophobic abuse peaked in 2019 when the resident confronted Mr Gardiner and allegedly assaulted him.
It took police about two years to charge the man with serious assault arising from the incident.
If it had been a female or a person who was not gay it would have been dealt with more severely.
BRUCE GARDINER
AT 71-YEARS-OLD, Bruce Gardiner should be enjoying a relaxed retirement with his husband Derek.
Instead, the couple of 35 years says they have no choice but to sell their Toowoomba home and leave the city after suffering eight years of abuse from a resident.
The abuse started from the moment the resident learned the couple was gay.
Mr Gardiner said he would routinely hurl vile, sexist comments and spread rumours.
The homophobic abuse peaked in 2019, when the resident confronted Mr Gardiner and allegedly assaulted him.
It took police about two years to charge the man with serious assault arising from the incident.
Mr Gardiner said this was not good enough and claimed the police didn’t take it seriously because he was an elderly gay man.
“If it had been a female or a person who was not gay it would have been dealt with more severely,” he said.
The man was eventually issued a caution.
The Chronicle put this accusation of homophobia to the Queensland Police Services’ Assistant Commissioner for the Southern Region, Mike Condon, who reviewed the officers’ actions.
“There is not a scintilla of evidence to suggest that the police had a bias against the complainant as a result of sexuality,” he said.
“While the matter has taken some time to be finalised, based on the evidence available to the police an adult caution was appropriate in the circumstances.
“The complaint was made more complex on the basis of differing versions of what took place.
“I have a strong view that everyone is equal, to be treated the same and with respect.”
Still, Mr Gardiner said the caution was the latest insult in a history of abuse, beatings and institutional failings inflicted on him and the gay community.
“I am 71 years of age. Growing up as gay man, for a start it was illegal, you had to pretend you were straight all the time,” Mr Gardiner said.
“If people had a suspicion that you were not straight, you’d be bashed.”
Later, while working in the construction industry, Mr Gardiner had to hide who he was or risk losing his job.
“They won’t sack you for being gay, they sack you for another reason.”
Mr Gardiner said while living at the Sunshine Coast a stalker had outed him to his employer by falsely claiming they were having an affair and later made a false police report that Daniel Morcombe was buried in his backyard.
Learning of the caution was the final straw, so Mr Gardiner is selling up and leaving town.
He said Toowoomba was not gay-friendly.
“I am being vocal about this because I am doing it for the young people coming through who don’t have a voice but who will experience similar things – I hope that the next generation gives people a fair go in life,” Mr Gardiner said.