Many dismissed them as a passing fad. But thanks to a wide policy platform that includes gay rights and a charismatic leader, The Australian Sex Party has shown they are a political force to be reckoned with, writes Garrett Bithell.

When was the last time we heard a politician talk positively about sex, without giggling like a little schoolboy from the front bench? When was the last time we heard a politician talk seriously and empathetically about human rights, without that dialogue being conflated by religious dogma?

In November of 2008, The Australian Sex Party was formed as a response to the increasing wowserism dominating our political landscape, and the unprecedented power of the religious right. Armed with pimped-up vans, a feisty and charismatic leader, and ‘We’re Serious About Sex’ as their slogan, the party launched at Melbourne Sexpo.

“I think there are a lot of disaffected people out there,” Fiona Patten (pictured), leader of The Australian Sex Party, tells SX. “Labor and Liberal could be Siamese twins – there’s no great difference. They’re both really conservative, and now that you’ve got the ‘Mad Monk’ Tony Abbott leading the Liberals, and Kevin Rudd, who’s a very committed conservative Christian, heading Labor, I don’t think we’re going to see any progressive legislation coming through soon.”

According to Patten, who is the CEO of the Eros Association – Australia’s national adult retail and entertainment association – the problem is the overwhelming power of religious groups in what is supposed to be a secular legal system. “I am really concerned about the level of religion that is in our politics now, and how it is affecting decisions that it really shouldn’t be affecting. I’ve got nothing against religion – believe in whatever you want, just don’t make me.”

But the level of intersection between politics and religion today is immense. “Forty per cent of politicians in federal parliament say they are part of the ‘parliamentary Christian fellowship’, which means they go to church once a week and have regular prayer meetings with the Prime Minister – in parliament! Less than nine per cent of the Australian population goes to church – so these people are not reflective of society.

“When I was working as a lobbyist I would speak to politicians about prostitution for example, and they’d say ‘Fiona, I totally agree with what you’re saying, but the church down the road has been a great supporter, and if I support you they might not vote for me, and I hold this seat by seven per cent’. And Jim Wallace from the Australian Christian Lobby is doing the same thing with Kevin Rudd. He’s in all the ministerial offices all the time – I think promising him votes.”

A concrete example of this culture, Patten asserts, is the government’s stance on same-sex marriage. “It is insane that in the 21st century Australia could have a law that discriminates against someone on the grounds of who they love,” she opines. “It’s unbelievable. The Marriage Act is a piece of legislation – it has nothing to do with the religious marriage ceremony. And they seem to confuse it either on purpose or just naively.”

Indeed, far from being a one-issue party, The Australian Sex Party has a wide range of policy platforms, including same-sex marriage, the development of a national sex education curriculum, ending the tax-exempt status for religions, enacting national abortion laws, and convening a Royal Commission into child sex abuse in our religious institutions. It is a party that stands for equality and social justice, for civil liberties and for freedom of choice.

Most recently, The Australian Sex Party has campaigned heavily against the government’s mandatory internet filter, which will force internet service providers to block a secret blacklist of ‘Refused Classification’ (RC) websites for all Australian internet users. “The filter, if implemented fully, would block 95 per cent of all adult websites,” Patten says. “Australia has the most stringent censorship system for sexual material. Every film made in Europe or the US that is classified here as ‘X’ has to have a few minutes edited out. This means that just about every US and European website will contain some RC material and therefore be required to be blocked. And for your readers, that will include Gaydar.

“However, how are they possibly going to do that? But, if a little army of Christian soldiers just sat on the internet looking at porn all day, and reported it – for the sake of god – the law does outlaw almost all adult sites. We have more censorship of adult material now than we did 20 years ago!”

As Patten freely admits, The Australian Sex Party doesn’t want to run the country. The goal is to win seats in state upper houses and the Senate. The party contested elections for the first time at the Higgins and Bradfield by-elections in November, gaining over three per cent of the primary vote in both seats, coming fourth of ten and third of twenty-two candidates respectively. It appears they could be the dark horse.

“We just want a voice,” Patten says. “People say we’re one-issue party, but I think that’s like saying family is one issue. Sex is not one issue – and we should really question a lot more legislation as to how it affects people in regards to their gender and their sexuality.

“It’s sex for goodness sake. We all have it. We’re talking about consenting adults. And whether it’s gay marriage or censorship, it is sexuality or sex that is the real stumbling block on these issues. Between a man and woman to the exclusion of all others? Fuck!”

Patten is quietly optimistic about the party’s potential. “I think we’ve captured people’s hearts at this time, and I do hope we can work as a mood changer."

Source: http://www.sxnews.e-p.net.au/