Wednesday, 17 May 2023

Ministers statements: LGBTIQA+ support

Melissa HORNE (Williamstown – Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, Minister for Local Government, Minister for Ports and Freight, Minister for Roads and Road Safety) (14:20): I rise today to update the house on the outstanding achievements of our 79 Victorian local councils. I am proud to say that today, IDAHOBIT day, all 79 councils are flying the rainbow flag to signify their commitment to diversity and inclusion. It is the first time in any jurisdiction across the world that every local council has flown the rainbow flag on this day, and it is important that we congratulate local councils for doing this because it bolsters their confidence in their decision to fly the flag, particularly in the face of threats and intimidation from fringe groups.

We are a government that has a proud record of rejecting this nasty hate and division. We are a government that strives to build respect, inclusion and unity for all Victorians. This initiative is the result of the hard work of the Rainbow Local Government campaign. Launched in August 2020, the campaign encouraged LGBTIQA+ Victorians to stand for council elections and also identified council candidates that are proud to publicly stand for rights, safety, inclusion and diversity. Council candidates were encouraged to take the rainbow pledge. Nearly half the candidates in the 2020 council elections made this pledge, and I strongly urge all candidates to make this pledge in the lead-up to the 2024 local government elections.

Now, those opposite can hold inquiries into core council services, which is blatant dog whistling to the anti-diversity ideology of those extremist fringe groups, to block social programs which support and uplift our LGBTI communities – albeit it is aided and abetted by their friends the Greens. I would like to say to prospective councillors: do not be like those opposite and their allies in the upper house who are riven with division and beholden to those with extremely hateful views. You will be rejected by your communities just in the same way that Victorians are rejecting the Liberal Party.