Former Wagga sportsperson Kirsti Miller has vowed to take legal action against high-profile Liberal candidate Katherine Deves over comments allegedly portraying her as a sexual predator.
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Comments by Ms Deves in opposition to transgender people participating in sport and children receiving gender dysphoria treatment have received national attention since she was preselected to contest the Sydney seat of Warringah at the federal election.
Miss Miller, who is a transgender woman and prominent advocate for transgender rights, said she discovered over the weekend that Ms Deves had made comments about her in a YouTube video released in late December.
Ms Deves, while in a podcast-style discussion with academic Holly Lawford-Smith, said that more people would be opposed to transgender rights if they thought about sharing a public toilet with Miss Miller.
"I think if they actually knew, they wouldn't be on side but because they keep wheeling out these little blonde, blue-eyed, six-year-old boys going 'I'm the trans person that you were told to be afraid of in the toilets'," Ms Deves said in the video.
"It's like, well, we're not talking about that; we're talking about ... the Kirsti Millers of the world.
"If people actually saw what was happening and understood that, the numbers would probably be higher."
Miss Miller said she found the comments "disgusting" and deeply upsetting and had started work on lodging a complaint to Anti-Discrimination NSW.
"She has clearly vilified me by naming me as a predator in toilets," Miss Miller said.
Miss Miller was inducted into Wagga's Sporting Hall of Fame for her pentathlon achievements and was a first grade rugby league player for the city at a time when she was known as Warren Miller.
In response to questions from The Daily Advertiser, a spokesman for Ms Deves referred to an apology the candidate had made last week for her past remarks about transgender issues in general.
"In my dedication to fighting for the rights of women and girls, my language has on occasion been unacceptable," Ms Deves stated.
"It has hurt people, and detracted from my arguments. I apologise for such language and the hurt that I have caused. I commit to continuing the fight for the safety of girls and women in a respectful way."
The spokesman said they could not comment about any potential legal action against Ms Deves.
Miss Miller had already rejected Ms Deves' blanket apology for her past remarks, and said she wanted a personal apology, claiming her health and safety had been put at risk by Ms Deves' comments.
"I have been vilified on football fields in the past so this has re-triggered everything. This is the worst that I have ever been called: assuming that I am some kind of sexual predator," Miss Miller said.
"I'm 57 years of age, I'm a grandparent of seven and a parent to three girls, I'm a decorated prison governor and I have never broken the law in my life.
"To have now this politician say that people should fear me, how can I go outside and feel safe? How can any transgender person go to any shopping centre or a sports facility and use the toilets?"
Miss Miller said she had taken up a pro-bono offer from a lawyer and would attempt to take action under the NSW Anti-Discrimination Act for transgender vilification.
Miss Miller said Ms Deves was also wrong about her not being fully transitioned as she had years ago undergone gender confirmation surgery on her genitals.
Ms Deves referred to two other transgender athletes in the video.
Ms Deves was preselected by Prime Minister Scott Morrison after some Liberal Party members failed in court to prevent a federal takeover of the NSW branch.
Mr Morrison has described Ms Deves' prior remarks about transgender issues as "insensitive" but said he would not join the "pile on" to have her removed as a candidate.
"There are things that Katherine has said in the past, just like the Labor [candidate] for Hunter has said some pretty unfortunate and disrespectful things in the past," Mr Morrison said.
Labor Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese has said Ms Deves should never have been preselected.
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