SA Police Network, Burnie Counsellor, Vale Phyllis Papps, Rafiki, Cadet Kelly | Rainbow Briefing – Daily LGBTQIA+ News Podcast Australia

Hi, I’m Louise Poole, and this is the Rainbow Briefing for Friday the 30th of January. Your daily LGBTQIA+ news catchup.

Recorded and produced on Yugambeh and Yuggera land.

South Australian Police have launched a new network of specially trained officers to support the state’s rainbow community.

The LGBTQIA+ Liaison Officer Network — formerly known as the Gay and Lesbian Officer program — is made up of officers who’ve received specific training to provide support to queer community members.

They act as a safe point of contact for people who need to report crimes or seek help — and the program aims to address historical mistrust between LGBTQIA+ people and police.

It’s part of SA Police’s Pride Strategy, announced last year to mark 50 years since South Australia became the first state to decriminalise homosexuality in 1975.

Varo, CEO of the South Australian Rainbow Advocacy Alliance, says queer Australians are facing significant levels of hate, abuse and violence right now.

They call the program a great step forward — but say there’s still a long way to go.

Ian Hunter — a Labor member of SA’s upper house and one of two openly gay MPs in the state parliament — called it a fantastic move — acknowledging that the relationship between queer people and police hasn’t always been smooth.

A Tasmanian councillor has been suspended for two weeks after a Code of Conduct panel found his social media posts were homophobic and racist.

Burnie City Councillor Trent Aitken was barred from council duties after the panel examined posts from early last year criticising transgender people, opposing the rainbow flag at council chambers, and making comments about Aboriginal people.

The panel found a reasonable person would view the comments as offensive and embarrassing.

Residents had asked for an apology, but the panel declined to order one — saying Aitken’s views were so strongly held that any apology wouldn’t be genuine.

It’s worth noting — last April, Burnie City Council voted 8 to 1 to support LGBTQIA+ equality and inclusion and establish an advisory group. The sole dissenting vote was Aitken.

Equality Tasmania spokesperson Rodney Croome said the suspension shows there are consequences when local government leaders attack the communities they’re meant to represent.

Phyllis Papps — a trailblazing lesbian feminist activist — has died at the age of 81.

In October 1970, Phyllis and her partner Francesca Curtis appeared on the ABC’s This Day Tonight — becoming the first lesbian couple to come out on Australian national television.

The couple faced immediate backlash — losing jobs and straining family relationships. But their appearance was a groundbreaking moment for LGBTQIA+ visibility in Australia.

Phyllis was involved with the Daughters of Bilitis — Australia’s first gay rights organisation — later renamed the Australasian Lesbian Movement.

Over the 70s and 80s she worked on women’s history projects, co-founded the Gay Librarians group, and made Hats In The Ring — a film about women in local government.

She was likely the first proud lesbian many Australians had ever seen.

Francesca died in 2021. Phyllis spent her final years on Phillip Island with her beloved dog, Susi Q.

A win for queer storytelling internationally.

A Kenyan court has ruled that banning a film simply for depicting a lesbian relationship is unlawful.

Rafiki — the story of two young Kenyan women who fall in love — was banned in 2018 for what the Classification Board called a “clear intent to promote lesbianism.”

The filmmakers won a one-week exemption to screen it — and Rafiki broke Kenyan box office records, playing to packed cinemas across the country.

Now, Kenya’s Court of Appeals has ruled that banning a film for depicting queer life — without promoting or glamourising it — is a disproportionate limit on freedom of expression.

Director Wanuri Kahiu celebrated on Instagram, writing: “Ideas are not crimes.”

The Gay and Lesbian Coalition of Kenya said the ruling sets a powerful precedent: “Rafiki walked so many stories could run.”

And some validation for queer millennials this week.

Hilary Duff has acknowledged the long-standing reading of Cadet Kelly as a lesbian love story.

In the 2002 Disney film, Duff plays Kelly Collins — a teen at military school who becomes obsessed with her commanding officer, Captain Jennifer Stone. And the feeling is mutual. Meanwhile, the supposed male love interest barely registers.

Duff recently acknowledged the queer reading — and wondered why Disney never made a sequel, adding it “100 percent seems like it would’ve gone in a great direction.”

Co-star Christy Carlson Romano has said the character helped young girls understand their sexuality.

For viewers who grew up decoding subtext because explicit representation wasn’t available — it’s confirmation of something they’ve known for over 20 years.

And if you’re in Perth, FRINGE WORLD is in full swing.

The festival runs until February 15th with hundreds of shows — including plenty of queer joy.

Golden Gay Time is a stand-up comedy night featuring Courtney Maldo, Charlie Fern.

Love Like This Isn’t Harmless is autobiographical storytelling from a real-life queer family — a queer mother, her trans masc son, and her gay son.

Hugo’s Rainbow Show is drag superstar Hugo Grrrl’s musical adventure for kids.

And Dragged Through The Desert — a glitter-drenched tribute to Priscilla hosted by Dean Misdale — wraps up Sunday.

That’s the Rainbow Briefing for Friday the 30th of January.

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