LGBT Election Forum Will Give Parties A Chance To Outline Policies For The Community

LGBT Election Forum Will Give Parties A Chance To Outline Policies For The Community
Image: Senators Penny Wong, Andrew Bragg and Janet Rice will join out ABC journalist Patricia Karvelas at the LGBTIQ+ Election Forum organised by Equality Australia at the Victoria Pride Centre today, May 5, to discuss the Labor, Liberal and Green' plans for the LGBTQI community. 

Representatives from the three major national parties – Labor, Liberal and Greens – will join out ABC journalist Patricia Karvelas on Thursday to discuss their plans for the LGBTQI community. 

Senators Penny Wong, Andrew Bragg and Janet Rice will participate in the LGBTIQ+ Election Forum organised by Equality Australia, AFAO, Intersex Human Rights Australia and LGBTIQ+ Health Australia at the Victoria Pride Centre today, May 5. 

Register here to attend the LGBTIQ+ Election Forum at the Victorian Pride Centre on May 5, in person or online. 

“This election, candidates cannot afford to take LGBTIQ+ voters for granted. After a series of divisive debates focused on the lives of LGBTIQ+ people, our recent survey of 5,600 LGBTIQ+ voters showed that many of our community have become sceptical of the political parties, with one in three respondents yet to make up their mind about who they’ll vote for,” said Anna Brown, CEO of Equality Australia in a statement. 

Parties Must Address LGBTQI Issues

Anna Brown, CEO, Equality Australia

Brown said that parties need to work at winning the support of the community, especially the undecided voters. “Parties and candidates must act to address issues of concern to LGBTIQ+ people if they are to win back the support of the voters they’ve lost and to build support amongst those that are undecided.”

According to Brown, the forum at the Victorian Pride Centre will offer the major parties an opportunity “to outline how they will address the priorities of the LGBTIQ+ community.”

Ordinary Australians Don’t Want Culture Wars, Says Patricia Karvelas

“Our research showed that our community wants changes to laws that allow religious schools to expel, fire or otherwise discriminate against LGBTQ+ students or staff. We want action to end the harmful conversion practices that seek to change or suppress who we are, and to end unnecessary medical procedures performed on intersex people without their personal consent.”

“The research also showed that the LGBTIQ+ community also stands with trans and gender diverse people in their efforts to remove barriers to accessing gender affirming care, added Brown.

What The Community Wants?

LGBTQI+ community advocates spelled out the issues that they would like candidates and parties to address if they are elected to the government. 

 

Nicky Bath, Chief Executive Officer of LGBTIQ+ Health Australia

“This election, LGBTIQ+ Health Australia is calling for nine priority action areas that focus on changing systems and targeted supports, including a 10-year National LGBTIQ+ Health and Wellbeing Plan, implementation of the 2020 ABS Standard in the Census, and investment in LGBTIQ+ mental health and suicide prevention. Existing disparities will remain if LGBTIQ+ health and wellbeing continue to be sidelined in policy and service planning, underfunded and under-resourced.”
Nicky Bath, CEO of LGBTIQ+ Health Australia

 

 

Morgan Carpenter, Executive Director of Intersex Human Rights Australia.

“We are so concerned about misrepresentation of cisgender women athletes with intersex variations in press reporting during this election campaign, but the key issue for us is to ensure a commitment to nationally consistent reforms to protect the human rights of people with innate variations of sex characteristics. In line with the 2021 report of the Australian Human Rights Commission, we need to ensure a legislative prohibition of harmful practices in medical settings, independent oversight of medical practices, and also action to resource peer and family support and advocacy, and affirmative inclusion in education to help reduce stigma.”
Morgan Carpenter, bioethicist and Executive Director of Intersex Human Rights Australia

 

 

Darryl O’Donnell, CEO, AFAO.

“For a very modest investment Australia could do something remarkable and end HIV transmission. Our community stands ready to make this a reality, if we can win the political and financial commitment to go the final mile. This will make a profound improvement to the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.“While we have a come a long way in combating discrimination, LGBTIQ people still experience poorer health and are less likely to access services. LGBTIQ health organisations need a step up to access Medicare funding and deliver the medical and psychology services our communities are looking for.”
Adjunct Professor Darryl O’Donnell, CEO of AFAO

 

 

Register here to attend the LGBTIQ+ Election Forum at the Victorian Pride Centre on May 5, in person or online. 

 



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