Victorian Greens propose new “Rainbow State” number plate
THE Victorian Greens have proposed a special “Rainbow State” number plate for the sexual and gender diverse community ahead of the upcoming Midsumma Carnival.
The idea is being proposed by the state’s Greens LGBTI spokesperson Sam Hibbins, who believes it would be a welcome option for the community.
“Victoria’s had a number of iterations of our number plates over the last 20 years such as an Indigenous Australian one and a thoroughbred racing one, so I thought this would be a welcome addition,” he told the Star Observer.
“I thought, wouldn’t it be good to have LGBTI version of the number plate available to those people who want it?
“There are so many cars that have rainbow bumper stickers, but this would take it that one step further and would allow Victorians to have rainbow number plate… I think a lot of people would appreciate the ability to have that.”
As part of the proposition, the “Rainbow State” number plates would include the tagline “Victoria – The Rainbow State”.
They would be made available to Victorian vehicle owners for a fee, with the money raised going towards local LGBTI community organisations.
“The money could be used to go to LGBTI community groups who are doing it tough when it comes to finances,” Hibbins said.
“It’s a great way to demonstrate that Victoria is an inclusive state.
“We’d have to work out who the money would go to based on need and who needs it the most, but the amount would be dependent on how many people bought the plates.”
Midsumma board member and incoming chair John Caldwell believes any opportunity to celebrate the LGBTI community is one to get behind.
“As we head into our 29th Midsumma Festival it’s not hard to see that our community has a lot to celebrate,” he told the Star Observer.
“Victoria is a great place to identify as LGBTI and we should be taking every opportunity to highlight that we are diverse, inclusive, and colourful.
“Any initiative that helps increase the profile of Victoria’s LGBTI community and raises money for community groups gets our support.”
The Star Observer approached Victorian Roads Minister Luke Donnellan for comment but none was provided at the time of print.
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The Greens should make themselves useful for a change and introduce a bill to abolish or repeal all the religious exemptions in the Equal Opportunity Act 2010. Religious exemptions should also be abolished or repealed in the Adoption Act 1984 as well too! I do not care about rainbow number plates, stop wasting valuable time and get on with some real issues for a change!
Vote 1 Greens. They are the ones who are seriously going to allow marriage equality and finally abolish all religious exemptions within the adoption laws and equal opportunity laws! Both labor and liberal parties like the ACL controlling our lives. Just remember all that next time you vote at any elections! I love the Greens!
Remember it was the LNP in the last Victorian government that took away LGBTI rights from the Victorian equal opportunity laws, by putting back within law that clearly allows religious organisations to discriminate against LGBTI people yet again.
This Labor government has said that they want to get rid of these religious exemptions yet again, but they are still just 1 vote short in the upper house. So how is this going to get implemented anyway? The Victorian adoption laws also have religious exemptions as well. All these religious exemptions must be abolished and repealed in 2016!
I like the Greens! I am sick and tired of both the labor and liberal parties right here in Victoria, continually touching the equal opportunity laws. The liberal government put religious exemptions back in 2010, when the labor party said it will sometime this year hopefully get rid of them again and include Intersex status as well. Religious exemptions should be repealed. Also while we are at it religious exemptions should also be repealed within the Adoption laws as well!
This is ridiculous. I’m sick of politicians from the Greens wasting their time advocating for lame symbolic gestures like rainbow number plates at the expense of achieving anything for LGBTIQ Australians. In contrast, the Victorian Government has actually got on with actually delivering policies and programs that make a real difference to the lives of LGBTIQ Victorians.
Bullshit. VOTE GREEN. GET OUT OF JAIL FREE.
Bullshit. The LNP and the ALP have relgated LGBI people Criminal Whores for decades past. They should be charged with living off of imoral earnings. SO VOTE GREEN. GET OUT OF JAIL FREE.