Homophobic Party Family First Deregistered in Victoria

The Australian political party Family First, known for its homophobic stance, has been deregistered in Victoria due to its inability to demonstrate a membership of at least 500 people.

The Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) made this decision following a review of the state’s 2022 election results. The VEC assessed all political parties that received an average of less than 4% of first preference votes across the electorates they contested.

In the 2022 election, Family First Victoria fielded numerous candidates but secured just over 3% of the vote. A VEC representative stated, “Family First Victoria did not meet the legal requirement to prove it has at least 500 eligible members on the Victorian electoral roll. Therefore, it has been removed from the list of registered political parties in Victoria.”

The spokesperson added that a party with a similar name cannot register until after the next State election in 2026.

Lyle Shelton leads Family First nationally. In 2022, the party's leading candidate, Lee Jones, pledged to overturn the state's ban on harmful conversion practices. Shelton, the former head of the Australian Christian Lobby, remains committed to pursuing elections in the ACT and Queensland this October.

“We plan to field candidates who will advocate for parents’ rights to educate their children according to their values, opposing the harmful LGBTQIA+ ideologies imposed by activist-driven politicians,” Shelton stated. We’ll see how that unfolds, but as we all know there is no place in modern society for those who advocate for conversion therapy, a discredited practice that harms individuals and undermines their rights.

Originally published by QNews.com.au | Staff Writers | 12 July 2024