Family First upper house candidate Jane Foreman has slammed the Victorian Liberals for what she described as a "half-step" response to the escalating crisis of men being housed in women's prisons, warning that anything short of a full ban fails to protect vulnerable women.
Responding to comments by Opposition Leader Jess Wilson that biological males convicted of sexual or violent offences would be excluded from women's prisons, Ms Foreman said the position simply does not go far enough.
These comments were quoted in Parliament just last week by Liberal MLC Bev McArthur.
"It is not good enough for the Liberals to say that only some men — those convicted of sexual or violent crimes — should be kept out of women's prisons," Ms Foreman said.
"The principle is simple: no men should be housed in women's prisons."
Between seven to eight biological men who identify as women are understood to be housed in women's prisons in Victoria.
Ms Foreman said recent cases had exposed the dangerous consequences of policy confusion, including the placement of biological males in female facilities and the resulting risks to women.
"This is not a theoretical debate — women have already been harmed, taxpayers have already paid compensation, and now we face yet another costly legal action from a male prisoner housed in a women's prison," she said.
Earlier this year Ms Foreman called on Premier Jacinta Allan to resign after a biological male prisoner identifying as a woman, convicted murderer Clinton Rintoull, sexually assaulted a female prisoner.
Ms Foreman said the situation had been created by both sides of politics failing to clearly define sex-based rights and instead attempting to appease LGBTQA+ activist pressure.
"This debacle is the direct result of political leaders lacking the courage to state the obvious — that biological sex matters," she said.
"Both Labor and the Liberals have been trying to pander to radical LGBTIQA+ political activists rather than uphold the fundamental duty of government to protect women."
She said the Victorian Government under Jacinta Allan had presided over a system that put ideology ahead of safety, while the Opposition sends mixed messages.
"Labor's policies have created this mess, but the Liberals are still hedging their bets instead of fixing it," Ms Foreman said.
"If it is unsafe for a male sex offender to be housed with women, then it is unsafe for any male to be housed with women. The logic is inescapable and the Liberals must understand this."
Ms Foreman said Family First was calling for an immediate return to clear, sex-based prison policies.
"Women in custody are among the most vulnerable people in our society. They deserve absolute protection — not acquiescence to LGBTQA+ political ideology," she said.
"Family First will always stand for common sense: men's prisons for men, women's prisons for women. No exceptions."
