PERTH deputy lord mayor David Goncalves has called for WA’s anti-vilification laws to be expanded to include LGBTQIA+ people after a Gosnells man was fined for distributing offensive flyers targeting members of the community.

Councillor Goncalves, formerly president of Rainbow Labor, said the outcome highlighted gaps in the state’s laws.

“The law still fails to recognise the distinct harm done when people are singled out, named and degraded because of who they are,” he said.

Garath James Mouncey, 47, pleaded guilty in Perth Central Law Courts to seven counts of leaving an indecent or obscene article in a public place after producing and distributing flyers containing false and harmful allegations about members of Perth’s LGBTIQA+ community.

The court heard the material was letterboxed across suburbs including East Perth, the CBD, Victoria Park, Dianella, Wembley and Mount Hawthorn between November 2025 and March 2026.

Cr Goncalves said attorney-general Tony Buti had committed to introducing a new Equal Opportunity Act including civil anti-vilification protections for the LGBTIQA+ community, but a timetable was needed.

“I welcome the commitment from attorney-general Buti. 

“What the community needs now is a clear public timetable for the introduction and consultation of these reforms,” he said.

He said the City’s LGBTQIA+ Advisory Group had worked with WA Police to establish a centralised Crime Stoppers reporting pathway after the flyer campaign emerged.

“This is co-design in practice. Community members identified an emerging problem, brought their lived experience to the table, and worked with Council to turn concern into reporting pathways, advocacy and reform,” he said.

Cr Conclaves paid tribute to the people who had supported the targets of the hateful campaign, those who’d reported it to authorities, and police for bringing it to court.

Mouncey was fined $4000n and was forced to give up any other flyers.