Tasmania Launches Landmark LGBTIQA+ Inclusion Action Plan

Tasmania’s Department of Health and LGBTIQA+ Reference Group launches long-awaited LGBTIQA+ Action Plan to be implemented over the next three years. The plan aims to improve inclusive healthcare for the community and reduce discriminatory issues faced by LGBTIQA+ Tasmanians.

Largest LGBTIQA+ survey shows large increase in mental and physical health risk among LGBTIQA+ Tasmanians

Launched on Wednesday, November 13, the state’s inclusion strategy stems from vast research, collected from consultations and State-commissioned project ‘Tasmanians Telling Us the Story’. Further evidence was found of higher mental health risks among Tasmanians than other LGBTIQA+ Australians.

There was also proof of existing stigma and discrimination contributing to increased levels of physical illness and more trouble accessing healthcare as opposed to other Tasmanians.

The largest survey of LGBTIQA+ Tasmanians, conducted by University of Tasmania, provided solutions to Mental Health Minister, Roger Jaensch, and Department Secretary, Dale Webster to carry out the LGBTIQA+ Action Plan over the next three years.

Tasmania’s DoH and LGBTIQA+ Reference Group sets out Action Plan from 2024-2027 

In order to foster a more inclusive and accessible nation from LGBTIQA+ Tasmanians, the Department commits to solve problems with a set of actions including:

• Piloting a Tasmanian LGBTIQA-specific mental health service
• 85% of mental health staff trained in LGBTIQA+ inclusive health care
• Improving health outcomes through a promotional campaign addressing anti-LGBTIQA+ prejudice, stigma and discrimination
• Improving gender affirming care by reducing wait times and establishing a lived-experience advisory group
• Advancing current work to ensure all Department data gathering recognises sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics
• An LGBTIQA+ mental health small grants program
• Promoting best-practice care for people with innate variations of sex characteristics
• Do more to advocate for LGBTIQA+ health equity at a national level and to showcase the Department’s achievements

Equality Tasmania’s Rodney Croome champions Action Plan

Equality Tasmania welcomes the DoH’s Action Plan with staunch LGBTIQA+ activist and Spokesperson Rodney Croome congratulating the department on efforts to reduce stigma and improve healthcare.

“The Action Plan initiatives will make a substantial difference to LGBTIQA+ health outcomes and are groundbreaking nationally,” said Croome.

“We congratulate the Department, and its LGBTIQA+ Reference Group, on developing a Plan that will help ensure discrimination and stigma are no longer hurdles to LGBTIQA+ Tasmanians living healthy, happy lives.”

Today’s launch coincided with the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Department’s LGBTIQA+ Reference Group in 1999.

The Plan is a groundbreaking step forward for Tasmania, which was the last state to decriminalise laws against homosexuality in 1997 and their nationally singular law against cross-dressing in 2001.

DoH’s Plan follows the Tasmanian Parliament’s Lower House historic decision to pass the first financial redress scheme in Australia, and criminal expungement for those convicted against the former laws.

Croome appreciated Green’s leader Rosalie Woodruff for championing the “long overdue decision recognising the trauma and suffering of people convicted for being who they were, resulting in unemployment and suicides.”

Croome added that “it is appropriate we are leading the nation, as the last decriminalising state and only state against crossdressing, and we hope other states will follow.”