Moyne Shire councillors have accused their counterpart of making "damaging" remarks about transgender people while discussing gender equality requirements.
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The comments, made by Cr Jim Doukas on Tuesday, February 27, came as the council discussed its need to adopt the state government's Fair Access Policy by July 1 to meet new funding criteria for future community sport infrastructure grants.
A plan consisting of 15 actions would then help create safer and more inclusive spaces across the shire, whether it be through lighting projects, improving netball surfaces, undertaking gender impact assessments for policy development or universal design considerations.
But the council was simply voting on whether or not to release the draft policy for community comment on Tuesday night at its monthly meeting, which Cr Doukas supported, despite disagreeing with the content and context.
"From reading this, I think it's good that it's going out to the public but I think sporting clubs should need to have a close read of it because it seems the state government is holding a cheque book above our heads," he said.
"...But I don't think a guy who wakes up tomorrow thinking he's a woman should have access to ladies or children's change rooms and I think going forward we need to do something about protecting those children from those people who for whatever reason change their gender at the drop of a hat.
"... The policy's going out for comment, I hope a lot of people do read it, I know some will be reluctant to say anything because they'll be called racist, but anyway, it is what it is."
Mayor Ian Smith interrupted Cr Doukas and said he'd already made his point.
"I'm disappointed in you mayor, I wasn't finished," Cr Doukas replied.
Cr Karen Foster then called out the councillor.
"I find Cr Doukas' comments unenlightened to say the least around gender diverse people and potentially very damaging," she said.
"I think this is a terrific thing, the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 as noted in the report protects any person's right to identify as (any) gender ... it's 2024 and I think this is absolutely timely and I'm very pleased to put this forward."
Cr James Purcell said regardless of the content, the councillors simply had to vote on whether or not to release the draft for public comment.
"I'm disappointed the government has used the big stick on us and said 'if you don't pass it you're going to get no funding," he said.
"I think they could've appealed to our good will and said 'this was the right thing to do' rather than bring out the big stick and say 'we believe in it and you do or else you're not going to get funded'.
"I think that's a disgraceful way for the government to act and I think there are better ways to do it.
"We are voting on whether we put it out for comment, it'll go to sporting groups, it'll consider the issues Cr Doukas raised and it'll consider the issues Cr Foster raised and all the other issues as well."
The councillors unanimously voted to release the draft Fair Access Policy and make it available for community comment from 28 February to 28 March 2024, before returning to council for consideration and adoption.
