Federal Government To Apologise To LGBTQ+ Veterans Who Faced Discrimination
Image: Gera Cejas / Pexels
The Australian Federal Government has announced that it will apologise to LGBTQ+ veterans who faced discrimination because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. While an important recognition, it also marks the second time the Senate has failed to endorse financial redress for these impacted service personnel.
The decision follows a debate on military justice legislation in the Senate on 17 September, which determined that former LGBTQ+ service members harmed by discriminatory policies are to be issued an official apology and a Certificate of Honourable Service.
According to the chair of GRAI (GLBTI Rights in Ageing Inc), David Gibson, a former Army Officer who was discharged for being a homosexual, this is a landmark victory. While original LGBTQ+ reparation discussion primarily focused on the harm caused by criminal convictions related to gender/sexuality, this latest apology would extend to all veterans harmed by discriminatory policies, whether or not they were officially charged for an offence.
“When GRAI appeared before the Senate inquiry, our concern was pretty simple. If we recognised the convictions but not the people dealt with administratively, we risked creating another group of forgotten veterans,” Gibson said.
“That distinction matters. Some people were convicted. Some were discharged. Some were pressured to leave. Whatever the mechanism, the message they received was the same: there was no place for them in the Defence Force because of who they were.”
For Gibson, the apology to LGBTQ+ veterans, though an enormous step forward, needs to come from the Prime Minister himself.
“It needs to say plainly: you served Australia, what was done to you was wrong, and we are sorry.”
For LGBTQ+ Veterans, An Empty Apology Is Not Enough
While the decision has been celebrated by LGBTQ+ community groups as long overdue, Gibson and many others are suggesting the symbolic act risks amounting to an empty gesture, if not also accompanied by financial redress.
“We welcome an apology as an important step towards healing the wounds of the past,” said Just.Equal Australia spokesperson, Rodney Croome, “but financial redress is also required for those who suffered discrimination and dishonourable discharge because of who they were.
“LGBTIQA+ veterans who faced discrimination, including dishonourable discharge, suffered the loss of employment, income and sometimes housing, a loss of self confidence and sometimes severe impacts on mental health.”
Similarly, Greens LGBTIQA+ spokesperson Senator Nick McKim argued an apology was not enough. Instead, he concurred with Gibson that it must be delivered by the Prime Minister, and backed by a redress scheme.
“People lost employment, income and housing, and many suffered profound impacts on their mental health,” said McKim. “Financial redress cannot undo that harm, but it would provide a tangible acknowledgement of the injustices that were inflicted.
“Canada and the United Kingdom have redress schemes for LGBTIQA+ former service personnel, and Australia should follow their lead. The Government should establish an inquiry to determine the appropriate amount of redress and how it should be provided.
“Apologies matter, but so does the acknowledgment of harm through the provision of redress.”
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