LGBTIQ+ Community Wants Political Parties To Deliver Equal Rights

It’s been a rough year for LGBTIQ+ people, but in this federal election we’ve got an opportunity to ensure that whoever forms government delivers for our community. 

Once again, our lives have been the subject of political debate, but our community has proved what we can achieve when we work together.

Building A Coalition

The LGBTIQ+ community built a powerful coalition against the Religious Discrimination Bill. United by the principle that our laws must protect all of us, equally, LGBTIQ+ people joined with women, people with disability and people of faith, to ensure the Bill did not become law. 

In NSW, we came together to fend off One Nation’s attacks on our community. And after decades of advocacy, the Victorian Government passed laws to better protect LGBTQ+ Victorians from discrimination in faith-based organisations.

Every time politicians attempted to use trans kids as a political football to appease the conservative Christian lobby, they’ve lost, as we have stood united and been supported by the wider community. 

But we’ve got a long way to go, and the next few weeks will be crucial. It’s time to come together again to ensure that whoever forms government is committed to protecting and advancing the rights of LGBTIQ+ people, and not taking any steps backwards. 

Election Survey Received 8000 Responses

Equality Australia’s community election survey received nearly 8000 responses, giving us an incredible picture of what matters to LGBTIQ+ people in Australia. 

The headline messages are clear. 

Our community is sceptical of the parties and candidates seeking election, and many of us are yet to decide who we’ll vote for. 

If the political parties are to gain back the support they’ve lost and gain the support of undecided LGBTIQ+ voters, they need to act on our issues.  

Those issues are also clear. Our community wants action on laws that allow religious schools to expel, fire or discriminate against students or staff because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. And we want an end to harmful conversion practices that seek to change or suppress who we are. 

An incredible majority of LGBTIQ+ people also stand united in support of issues that impact others in our community.

We stand with intersex people who are still subject to unnecessary medical procedures without their personal consent. And we support improvements in access to affirming healthcare for trans people. 

LGBTIQ+ Election Forum

These are among the issues Equality Australia are putting to the parties this election, and we’re working with others to communicate the responses to our community, including through a national LGBTIQ+ Election Forum, featuring representatives from the Coalition, Labor and the Greens. 

Our community has achieved incredible things over the years. Now, we must come together again to ensure our future Federal Parliament and Government delivers laws, policies and programs that respond to the needs of our communities.

The LGBTIQ+ Federal Election Forum will be held at 6:30pm (AEST) on Thursday 5 May 2022 at the Victorian  Pride Centre in St Kilda. Register to attend online or in person.

For updates on our work this election, sign up at equalityaustralia.org.au

Anna Brown is the CEO of Equality Australia