Overnight Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) lead, for the first time, debate in the Queensland Parliament about the impact that allowing biological males to participate in female sports would have on the integrity of these competitions, on the safety of female athletes and on women’s rights more broadly.

Parliaments are a place to challenge and discuss emerging and important issues, including social issues, and the fact is most politicians are unwilling to publicly address this topic due to fear of reprisal from the ‘woke brigade’. KAP MPs are not among these politicians.

The KAP motion has surprisingly attracted a strong response from the public, indicating many Queenslanders do have a firm view on the topic.

Our debate on this issue was not sparked by a desire to disrespect trans people or deny them an ability to participate in sport. Trans people are welcome to play sport, and they should enjoy a great life in sport — but there’s a distinct advantage for biological males who, after transitioning, seek to participate in female sports. This fact must be grappled with.

The KAP participates in the discussion on this issue with the utmost respect for the other side of the argument. We always try and be tolerant of other people’s views.

However it is always curious to me that the KAP, and those who share similar conservative views on this and other issues, are not always afforded that same level of tolerance.

Overnight, our views have been labelled ‘far right wing’, ‘repugnant’ and ‘disgusting’ by some of our Parliamentary colleagues. We resoundingly reject these labels, and implore all sides of politics to actually display the type of tolerance towards others that they so commonly claim is important to them.

We thank the LNP Opposition, and One Nation, for voting in support of our motion, the text of which is below:

That this House supports women’s rights by agreeing that:

1. Allowing biological men to play in female sport will erode the integrity of female sport;
2. Anyone who supports biological men playing in female sport, irrespective of age group, level or code, is complicit in eroding the integrity of female sport and therefore women’s rights;
3. Based on their insurmountable physical advantages, biological males participating in female sport pose an unfair competitive advantage against and/or safety risk towards female athletes. 

20220512 – Statement from Robbie Katter MP