Former Wagga City councillor Paul Funnell has come under attack over a Facebook video. Photo: file.
A former Wagga councillor’s Facebook post about gender issues has been reported to police after an activist claimed his video attempted to “stop, intimidate and threaten trans women from using bathrooms in the Riverina”.
On Saturday (16 May), Paul Funnell posted a video to his Facebook page criticising a Federal Court ruling involving the women-only app Giggle. The court found the app unlawfully discriminated against transgender woman Roxanne Tickle by removing her from the platform because of her gender identity.
“It’s just completely and utterly outrageous … I’m not going to stand by while the courts, the politicians and the activists keep chipping away … at the privacy of women and girls in our country,” Mr Funnell said in the video.
He criticised Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for making speeches about “empowering women” while, he argued, failing to protect females through legislation preserving women-only spaces. He also joked that his sheep and rams don’t question their gender or ask others to use their preferred pronouns.
“We are going to protect our girls, and if it means that men such as myself have to stand outside women’s spaces or actually go in with them to protect the area first, yes, we are prepared for the law on that as well,” he said towards the end of the video.
Wagga-based activist Leigh Swansborough interpreted the comments as threatening towards transgender people and posted a response on her own Facebook page criticising Mr Funnell.
“The reality is the biggest threat for all women … is always going to be a CIS-man; Wagga has one of the highest rates of domestic violence, and one of the highest rates of sexual assault … if you want to protect our girls, start campaigning on those issues,” she said.
“Let me be clear, you are not protecting women by trying to stop, intimidate and threaten trans women from using bathrooms in the Riverina. Men threatening to loiter outside our bathrooms, even suggesting you may come in looking for transgender women, that’s what’s dangerous.”
Ms Swansborough took offence at Mr Funnell’s video. Photo: Supplied.
Ms Swansborough also highlighted offensive comments made by third parties in response to Mr Funnell’s video, including one that threatened violence against transgender people. That comment has since been deleted.
She later stated on Facebook that she had filed a police report. 7News Riverina also stated the matter had been reported to police.
Mr Funnell is a former Wagga councillor and president of the One Nation Riverina branch, although the video appears to have been made in a personal capacity.
His Facebook posts criticising government and Coalition policies over the past few months have attracted tens of thousands of views and the attention of international media.
Dean McRae, a former Liberal Democrat election candidate and friend of Mr Funnell, said police involvement over Facebook posts showed free speech was “under attack” in Australia.
“It’s a reflection of what’s been going on in the UK over the last five years, when more people have been arrested for Facebook posts than in any other country,” he said.
He said investigating social media posts was a waste of police resources.
“Australia doesn’t have any constitutional protections on free speech, and that’s a concern,” he said.
Mr Funnell said he was unable to comment on the matter as he was seeking legal advice on it.
Ms Swansborough was contacted for comment.
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