Victoria Has Appointed A New LGBTIQA+ Commissioner
Image: Joe Ball with Minister Harriet Shing. Image: Supplied.
It’s been announced that the new LGBTIQA+ Commissioner for Victoria is Joe Ball – a proud transgender man and longstanding LGBTIQA+ advocate with decades of experience across mental health, family violence, suicide prevention and disability sectors.
Ball will step into his new role as Victoria’s third LGBTIQA+ Commissioner on 23 September.
In the role as Commissioner for LGBTIQA+ Communities, Ball will provides a strong voice for diverse LGBTIQA+ communities across the state, and work with the Allan Government to implement Pride in our future: Victoria’s LGBTIQA+ strategy 2022-2032 – a roadmap to ensure all Victorians feel safe, have equal human rights and live wholly and freely.
“It is an immense honour and responsibility to be the next Victorian Commissioner for LGBTIQA+ Communities,” said Ball in a statement.
“I am here because of those who fought for generations so that LGBTIQA+ people could not only exist, but thrive.”
The appointment was announced by Minister for Equality Harriet Shing.
“Joe’s appointment to the role of LGBTIQA+ Commissioner will ensure we can continue our nation-leading work to recognise, support and celebrate LGBTIQA+ people and communities across Victoria, and I congratulate him on his determination over many years to improve the lives of LGBTIQA+ people,” said Shing.
“Commissioner Ball’s expertise and inclusive advocacy will be enormously important in delivering our Pride in Our Future Equality Strategy, and builds on the legacy of previous Commissioner Todd Fernando.”
Who is Joe Ball?
Joe Ball was previously the CEO of Switchboard Victoria, where he oversaw the creation of landmark programs including Rainbow Door, a dedicated LGBTIQA+ family violence and mental health helpline, along with CHARLEE, a LGBTIQA+ Suicide Prevention Hub.
He is a current member of the National LGBTIQA+ Health and Wellbeing 10-year Action Plan Expert Advisory Group, and was honoured as one of 50 Outstanding LGBTI+ Australian Leaders in 2020.
Mr Ball has served as a member of several leading community services committees and boards including Safe and Equal, the 1800 RESPECT community advisory committee, the Victorian LGBTIQA+ Taskforce, the Victorian Family Violence Reform Advisory Group and the National Suicide Prevention Governance Committee.
Star Observer profiled Ball in 2019, and he told us that his favourite thing about the LGBTIQA+ community is “the diversity within diversity”.
“We have a long way to go when it comes to fighting for all kinds of equality in our society, but I remember going to the Invasion day rallies in Melbourne and feeling so inspired seeing rainbow, trans, and bisexual flags. I love that as a rainbow community we are starting to get it that inequality anywhere is inequality everywhere.”
In a profile from The Wheeler Centre, Joe is described as someone who “believes in grass roots solutions to systemic issues and draws upon LGBTIQA+ history and the wisdom of LGBTIQA+ elders to guide their work”.
