Shortly after ACT Deputy Chief Minister Andrew Barr urged his comrades at the Labor Party’s national conference to end gay-marriage discrimination, he and the ACT Government face new accusations of voting for gay discrimination.

ACT Greens leader Meredith Hunter revealed today that the Government, under Treasurer Barr, voted for discrimination based on sexual orientation at Exxon Mobile’s annual general meeting in May. The ACT Government, through its superannuation fund, is a shareholder in the multi-national American oil company.

A resolution was put to the Exxon Mobil meeting in Texas to explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation.

However, “the Territory, under Treasurer Andrew Barr, voted against a resolution to stop this discrimination,” said Ms. Hunter.

ExxonMobil is the only US employer that has ever rescinded a non-discrimination policy covering sexual orientation, and has been involved in several lawsuits and protests against its discriminatory workplace practices.

“It is very disappointing that the Government are still failing to vote consistent with the legislated requirements of the Human Rights Act,” Ms. Hunter said.

However, in Question Time this afternoon Barr told the Assembly that he knew nothing about the motion and described the Greens’ behaviour as tawdry and childish.