2016-01-18
The Australian Greens are calling on the Liberal Government to stop more sexist 'dating' seminars, which promote choking, threatening and abusing women, from going ahead in Australia.
Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens Deputy Leader and spokesperson for women, is calling on Minister Dutton to revoke the visa of seminar presenter Jeff Allen, a colleague of Julien Blanc.
"It's disgraceful that the government has reportedly already failed to stop one of these events, which promote domestic violence, from going ahead in Australia," Senator Waters said.
"The Immigration Minister needs to immediately revoke Jeff Allen's visa before his organisation can promote more sexism and violence at its next seminar scheduled for Thursday.
"While Real Social Dynamics has claimed the events are cancelled, advocates of gender equality have reason to believe the company is using decoy tactics.
"The only way to make sure that these abhorrent events do not continue is to revoke Jeff Allen's visa, just as the former Immigration Minister revoked Julien Blanc's visa for promoting the same abhorrent views about women.
"Minister Dutton needs to start working toward gender equality, including by protecting women in immigration detention from sexual violence, stopping any more of these sexist seminars, and by not making sexist remarks," Senator Waters said.
Victorian Greens MP and spokesperson for women, Nina Springle, said the Minister needed to act now, with the original schedule listing an event in Melbourne in a matter of days.
"It's completely inappropriate that Victoria could ever be host to this kind of touring misogyny, with the Royal Commission into Family Violence having heard so much about how attitudes can lead to violence against women.
"Given the leadership provided by Rosie Batty and the strong position taken by the Victorian government over the past year, it's just inconceivable that anything like Real Social Dynamics would ever be allowed to hold seminars in Melbourne," Ms Springle said.
Contacts:
Senator Waters (Monique Vandeleur) 0419 626 725
Nina Springle MLC (Russell Marks) 03 9584 4013