Independents accuse Morrison of using trans sport ban as a ‘dog-whistle to the ultraconservatives’

‘We need to look at the motivation of Scott Morrison in raising this non-issue during the election campaign,’ Zali Steggall says. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Scott Morrison must not use trans people as “political pawns” or as a “dog-whistle to the ultraconservatives” during the election campaign, independent MPs and candidates running against moderate Liberals have said.

The candidate for Goldstein, former ABC journalist Zoe Daniel, was among the independents to round on the prime minister on Tuesday, saying she was “concerned that Scott Morrison appears to be getting ready to weaponise this issue at a cost to a vulnerable community”.