Wednesday, 17 May 2023

Ministers statements: LGBTIQA+ support

Daniel ANDREWS (Mulgrave – Premier) (14:34): Today and every day every member of our LGBTIQ+ community should feel valued, safe, respected and that who they are is enough – no more, no less. Today is an important day for all of us to come together and call out appalling behaviour, bigotry, hatred and some of the nastiest stuff we have seen for a very long time. It is not just about libraries, it is not just about events at council, although we do send our best wishes to council staff and of course performers and others who wanted to be part of those events – lawful events, fun events, events that are not compulsory. If you do not want to go, then you do not have to, but what you ought not be doing is standing in the way of other people expressing their support for diversity, their support for equality and their support for a fair and reasonable state.

What is more, it is not just about those issues. We saw in last year’s election campaign the rise of many extremists, people with views that on any measure are not in keeping with mainstream values in this, the progressive capital of our nation. We called it out at the time. Not everybody necessarily agreed and supported that view. What has become clear since is that there are some – not leaders, but those who pretend to be leaders – who are in a political partnership, a preference swap and who knows what else on policy and all manner of other detail with people whose views are not in keeping with mainstream values and indeed not in keeping with the law of this state. Violence is wrong. Hatred hurts. It hurts people, it costs lives and it changes lives – and not for the better. No-one on this side the house, no-one in this government, is in a political partnership with those sorts of Victorians. I am not sure if the Leader of the Opposition can say the same.

Roma Britnell: On a point of order, Speaker, I have several unanswered questions once again. Question 113 for the Minister for Roads and Road Safety was due on 23 March 2023. I also have question 209 for the Minister for Planning, due on 7 April 2023; question 70 for the Minister for Housing, due on 8 April 2023; and question 90 for the Minister for Housing, due on 21 April 2023. I would be most grateful if my constituents would have the attention of the ministers in answering those questions, please.

The SPEAKER: Those questions will be followed up.