Media

Professor Gerber is regularly approached by the media to write or comment on contemporary issues. On this page you will find a selection of her interviews and opinion pieces.

Professor Gerber also writes regularly for the Castan Centre Human for Human Rights Law Blog and The Conversation.

LGBTI Rights

Television Interviews

Opinion Pieces

‘Will things be better for LGBTIQ+ people under Labor? Here’s what the new government has promised’, The Conversation, 2 June 2022.

‘One Step Forward, 10 Steps Back: The Rise of Anti-LGBTQ+ Laws in the United States’, Australian Institute of International Affairs, 3 May 2022.

‘It’s time to talk about gay reparations and how they can rectify past persecutions of LGBTQ people‘, The Conversation, 8 June 2021.

‘LGBTIQ rights around the world: Marriage equality and the death penalty hide wider concerns’, Australian Institute of International Affairs, 19 June 2019.

‘Same-sex marriage: six months on there’s much to celebrate, more to do’, ABC News, 3 July 2018.

‘Connecting ‘diblings’: how the law is failing to keep up with modern families’, The Conversation, 24 October 2017.

‘The plebiscite is dead, but the quest for marriage equality lives on’, The Conversation, 8 November 2016.

‘With the plebiscite set to be blocked, who will leave a legacy of marriage equality?’, The Conversation, 11 October 2016.

‘Australia’s delay in achieving marriage equality is coming at a real cost for our region’, The Conversation, 15 August 2016.

‘Orlando shooting is the latest chapter in the global fight for LGBT rights’, The Conversation, 16 June 2016.

‘Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull wrong on marriage plebiscite’, The Age, 27 June 2016.

‘Out of the frying pan and into the fire: the plight of LGBTI refugees’, The Conversation, 29 June 2015.

’10 reasons why we shouldn’t vote on marriage equality’, The Conversation, Monash University Faculty of Law News, 23 May 2016.

‘There needs to be more LGBTI rights subjects across Australian law schools’, Star Observer, 9 April 2015.

‘Homophobia is alive and well in the world of cricket’ Castan Centre Blog, 17 March 2015.

‘Protecting the rights of LGBTI people: Are things getting better or worse?’ Amnesty International, Monash University, 26 October 2014.

‘Expunging convictions for gay sex: An old wrong is finally righted’ The Conversation 16 October 2014.

‘Should Australia legally recognise same-sex marriages validly performed overseas?’ Online Opinion, 24 July 2014.

‘Commonwealth Games: Is it time to stop playing?‘ Guardian Australia, 22 July 2014.

‘Ian Thorpe came out, but not in Australia – a wise decision’ The Conversation, 14 July 2014.

‘Why the Pacific islands are no gay paradise’ Gay Star News, 12 May 2014.

‘Should the west be held accountable for gay persecution?’ The Conversation, 8 April 2014.

‘LGBTI Rights and the UN – where to from here?’ International Service for Human Rights Monitor, 25 February 2014.

‘We should act on Uganda’s oppression of gays’ ABC Drum, 18 February 2014.

‘Is the criminalisation of homosexuality in the Commonwealth a relic of the British Empire?’ The Castan Centre for Human Rights Law Blog, 20 November 2013.

‘Decriminalising homosexuality worldwide: should Australia get involved?’ (with Joel Gory) The Conversation, 24 September 2013.

‘US Supreme Court wades into same-sex marriage debate’ The Conversation, 12 December 2012.

‘ASEAN Human Rights Declaration: a step forward or a slide backwards?’ The Conversation, 21 November 2012.

‘The same-sex marriage implications for Australia from the US election and abroad’ The Conversation, 13 November 2012.

‘Wiping the slate clean: historic convictions for gay sex must be expunged’ The Conversation, 26 September 2012.

‘Marriage Equality Defeat: Where to from here?’ Women’s Agenda, 20 September 2012.

‘Marriage is best for raising children … that’s why we need marriage equality’ The Conversation, 29 August 2012.

‘Marriage equality, myths and misconceptions’, ABC Drum, 15 May 2012.

‘Denying gay marriage will only hurt the children’ The Age, 7 September 2011.

Podcasts

World Wide Wave, USA: The Happenings Around LGBTQ Rights in the Courts and Parliaments

The Moral Traveller, Episode 7: LGBTI Rights

Section 71: High Court cases that changed Australia, Episode 1: The Tasmanian crime of gay sex, ABC National Radio.

The Scarlet Letter Podcast, Episode 22: Paula Gerber, Feminist Legal Studies Group, Monash University

Castan Centre Podcast on Marriage Equality

Law Radio, What’s happening with LGBTI Rights in the Asia Pacific

Law Radio, Who needs a plebiscite

Media Reports

‘What makes a typical Aussie family?’ First Five Years, 26 March 2018.

‘Sydney to host forum for Pacific LGBTI activists on fighting for equality’ The Guardian, 9 August 2016.

‘Same sex marriage: captain’s pick’ Brisbane Times, 25 February 2105.

‘LGBTI activists hope on Maithri’ Colombo Gazette (Sri Lanka), 22 January 2015.

‘Australian LGBT group calls for withdrawal from Commonwealth over anti-gay laws’ Pink News, 23 July 2014.

‘Palau becomes latest country to decriminalise homosexuality’ The Australian, 15 October 2014.

‘Hypocrites harm gay men and women’ Andrew Bolt,  Herald Sun (A badge of honour to be attacked by Andrew Bolt!), 12 May 2012.

Radio Interviews

‘Anniversary of decriminalisation of homosexuality in Victoria’ (Part 1 and Part 2), ABC Radio, 22 Feb 2022.

‘National Coming Out Day in Australia: Is it really Needed?’ SBS Germany, 13 Oct 2021.

‘Calls for NT to wipe historical gay sex convictions‘  ABC Triple J, The Hack, 20 February 2017.

‘Who needs a plebiscite?‘ Law Radio, 15 July 2016.

‘Pacific region being targeted by missionaries – activist’ Radio New Zealand, International, 20 May 2014.

Surrogacy

Opinion Pieces

‘Arrests and uncertainty overseas show why Australia must legalise compensated surrogacy’, The Conversation, 24 November 2016.

‘Making commercial surrogacy illegal only makes aspiring parents go elsewhere’, The Conversation, 18 February 2016.

Radio Interviews

‘Sperm donors lose anonymity‘ ABC 774, 1 March 2017.

Children’s Rights

Opinion Pieces

Paula Gerber and Sue West, ‘Mental Health, Happiness of Australian Children Among the Worst of Rich Countries, According to UNICEF Report‘, Monash Lens, 10 September 2020.

Paula Gerber & Melissa Castan ‘It’s Time to Modernise Australia’s Birth Registration System’ Right Now, 19 March 2015.

‘Children’s complaints to the UN could embarrass Canberra, but should be heard’ (with Melissa Castan) The Age, 21 April 2014.

‘Does Israel’s interrogation of Palestinian boys violate human rights?’ The Conversation, 11 February 2014.

‘Children and human rights abuses: coming to an international stage?’ The Conversation, 30 January 2014.

‘What can Australia learn about birth registration from other countries?’ Plan International, (with Amalia Fawcett) 2 December 2013.

‘The Ethics of Enforced Child Vaccinations’ Crikey.com, 23 May 2013.

‘One size does not fit all when children come to court’ The Castan Centre for Human Rights Law Blog, (with Melissa Castan), 13 December 2012.

‘Australia must do better at protecting children’s rights’ The Conversation, 25 June 2012.

‘A long wait: Australia finally gets a Children’s Commissioner’, The Conversation, 4 May 2012.

Newspaper Reports and Interviews

‘Children’s rights in Australia: what are they and how are they protected?’ SBS, 10 May 2022.

‘Children behind bars’ Crinkling News, 2 August 2016.

‘The hurdles of Life without a birth certificate’  ABC Kimberley, 15 June 2014.

Radio Interviews

‘Should immunisation be compulsory?’ ABC Radio National Life Matters, 9 February 2015.

‘Campaign for G20 action on child labour’ SBS Radio, 11 April 2014.

‘UN criticises Australia’s lax ID policy’ ABC Radio National, 6 May 2013.

Television Interviews

‘Queensland’s failure to repeal laws allowing corporal punishment in non-government schools’ ABC 24, 28 February 2017.

‘Australia to adopt “No jab, no pay” policy for those who don’t immunise’ Al Jazeera, 13 April 2015.

Podcasts

‘Children’s rights in Australia and how they are protected’ SBS, 10 May 2022.

Human Rights (General)

Opinion Pieces

‘Human rights and election campaigns: Never the twain shall meet?’ (with Melissa Castan), Monash Lens, 12 May 2022.

‘Human rights lessons have a ripple effect’ Herald Sun, 25 April 2022.

‘Turnbull can’t be Australia’s leader for reform until human rights are respected‘ The Conversation, 14 December 2015.

‘Referendum on banning the Burqa?: No thanks’ (with Farinaz Zamani Ashni) Online Opinion, 2 February 2015.

‘Journos Need Human Rights Training’ New Matilda, 17 October 2013.

‘Aboriginal people are still denied full citizenship’, ABC Drum, 1 November 2012.

‘Prevention is better than cure when it comes to human rights’  Edward Elgar, 14 September 2012.

‘There is a better way to make statutory appointments’ The Age and Sydney Morning Herald, page 9, 30 July 2012.

Radio Interview

‘Human Rights Law’ No Country for Academics, 29 May 2020.

‘Should People have the right to have their crimes forgotten‘ Panorama, 23 April 2015.

Newspaper Report

‘Human rights obligations go beyond politics’  Sydney Morning Herald, 16 February 2015.

Construction Law

Television Interview

Radio Interview

 ‘Ending Gender Discrimination in Construction‘, Big Ideas, ABC Radio, 27 October 2021.

Newspaper Report

‘In Australia there are more insolvencies in the construction sector than any other, and consumers are paying the price’, ABC News, 1 April 2022.

‘Women in construction: Smashing down the concrete walls that keep them out’, Lens, 7 March 2022.