Lawyers disciplined over ‘offensive, demeaning' LGBTQ ‘joke' posted in lifts
John F. Perry, who has been a lawyer since 1979, admitted to emailing a letter to a colleague comparing gay, lesbian and transgender people to 'mud screwers' and suggesting LGBTQ lawyers were unfairly favoured for work, according to findings by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
The colleague, barrister Robert G. Squirrell, then printed and posted the letter – which used a logo similar to the official Victorian Bar logo – inside four lifts in the Owen Dixon Chambers East building, where it was seen by legal professionals and members of the public.
Squirrell, who has also been a lawyer since 1979, also admitted to his conduct.
The admissions form part of the formal disciplinary action brought against Perry and Squirrell by the Legal Services Board and Commissioner. VCAT found the pair had 'engaged in professional misconduct' that was 'conduct discreditable to a barrister'. It found the pair's conduct had the hallmarks of a juvenile prank had it not been for the men's ages and their 'offensive' actions.
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In his email, Perry wrote: 'This is going in the lifts tomorrow.' The letter attached inside the email was headed: 'Establishment of LGBTQMS Review Committee' – an insulting play on the term LGBTQI.
'Member [sic] of the Bar identifying with one (or more) of the minority groups represented by the anagram above have expressed concerns that briefs from various large litigators both governmental and private have not been disproportionately directed to them,' the letter said.
'The letters 'MS' may require explanation. It refers to mud screwers, because, as the American Jewish comedian the late and great Lenny Bruce once said – 'Some guys would screw mud'.'
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The Federal Court found Mr Latham's tweet exposed Mr Greenwich, who is gay and a prominent LGBTQI community advocate, to a torrent of hateful abuse including death threats. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) Lifeline 13 11 14 Men's Referral Service 1300 766 491 "Disturbing and disgusting" claims of abuse have been made against a former prime ministerial candidate turned state MP, who has rejected the allegations as "ridiculous". Mark Latham took to social media on Monday night after news reports detailed some of the allegations. The claims were reportedly contained in an application for an apprehended domestic violence order made before a local court in Sydney. But the 64-year-old rejected an initial report published by The Australian, which outlined claims made by former partner Nathalie Matthews alleging a "sustained pattern" of abuse and manipulation. He described the allegations as "comically false and ridiculous". "I have scores of documents to show that and will rely upon them to defend myself," he posted on X. Mr Latham also said NSW Police had not contacted him about the abuse claims. The former federal Labor leader sits as an independent MP in NSW parliament's upper house. Ms Matthews lodged the private AVO application with the NSW Local Court and the case is listed for its first mention on July 30. The local court has refused media applications for the documents as they contain untested allegations. AAP has also contacted Ms Matthews for comment. The NSW government's leader in the upper house Penny Sharpe said she would not comment specifically on the matter before the court but described the reported allegations as "revolting". "These are very disturbing and frankly disgusting allegations that are being made," she told reporters on Tuesday. "The Labor government has been calling out Mark Latham ... in relation to his behaviour on a whole range of different things." Premier Chris Minns called the outspoken MP a "shameful bigot" during question time in June. Mr Latham ran in 2004 against coalition leader John Howard, who went on to become prime minister for another term. He resigned from parliament in early 2005 and subsequently left Labor before being elected to the NSW upper house in 2019 as a One Nation member. He quit that party in 2023, becoming an independent. In a separate court dispute, Mr Latham was ordered to pay $140,000 to independent MP Alex Greenwich in September 2024. Mr Greenwich sued over a sexually explicit and homophobic social media post ahead of the 2023 state election. The Federal Court found Mr Latham's tweet exposed Mr Greenwich, who is gay and a prominent LGBTQI community advocate, to a torrent of hateful abuse including death threats. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) Lifeline 13 11 14 Men's Referral Service 1300 766 491
