Deputy PM Richard Marles Scraps Peter Dutton’s Ban On LGBT Morning Teas
Australia’s new defence minister Richard Marles has scrapped his predecessor Peter Dutton’s ban on “woke” events like LGBTQI morning teas organised by Australian Defence Force employees. Dutton, at present the Leader of the Opposition, had brought in the ban in May 2021 after the department held morning teas with staff wearing rainbow clothing to mark the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexphobia and Transphobia. Dutton, then the Defence Minister, had got Defence Force Chief Angus Campbell and Secretary Greg Moriarty to issue a memo to ban such events. “Defence represents the people of Australia and must at all times be focused on our primary mission to protect Australia’s national security interests. We must not be putting effort into matters that distract from this,” the note read. A new note issued by Campbell and Moriarty on August 23, overturned the ban on the direction of deputy prime minister and defence minister Marles, reported The Australian. “Each year we recognise events of significance and importance.