A Liberal Party candidate for the Legislative Council seat of Pembroke has refused to apologise after a transgender rights group called for action over what it describes as "damaging and divisive" campaign material - a claim denied by the state government.
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Newspaper advertisements outlining the priorities and commitments of the candidate, Kristy Johnson, list one as "protecting your children", beneath which is two dot points reading "mandatory sentencing for pedophiles" and "against removal of gender on birth certificates".
The advertisements follow the passage of landmark gender reform legislation by State Parliament earlier this month, after Speaker Sue Hickey voted with Labor and the Greens to bring on debate for the bill, amended one week prior in the upper house.
Changes relating to birth certificates allow parents to choose whether the sex of a child - which would still be recorded by the Registar - is recorded on the document. Premier Will Hodgman has threatened to repeal the legislation.
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In a statement issued Saturday, Transforming Tasmania said the advertisement linked child abuse to transgender law reform and called on Premier Will Hodgman to stop advertisements that "demonise" transgender rights.
Transforming Tasmania spokesperson Roen Meijers said: "The real threat to young people is from election material that stirs up prejudice against them, like the ads from Kristy Johnson."
"The Liberal Party should apologise for the damage that has been caused to those transgender and gender diverse young people whose lives are already difficult enough."
Transforming Tasmania's Martine Delaney also called on Mr Hodgman to honour a 2006 commitment he gave her "not to politicise and pander to anti-transgender prejudice" by intervening to withdraw the material "immediately".
In response, Ms Johnson said the advertisement stated she was against the removal of gender on birth certificates and "won't apologise for that".
"It's a view shared by an overwhelming majority of Tasmanians who Labor and the Greens failed to consult when rushing these laws through Parliament," Ms Johnson said.
A government spokesperson said the two "completely separate" dot points were not related, "nor is there any implication they are related".
"We will concentrate on delivering what the people of Tasmania want and protecting our way of life, rather than political point scoring dressed up as outrage," they added.
"We will not be bullied into silence for raising the community's very real concerns about these changes."
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