Wednesday, 21 September 2022

Ministers statements: LGBTIQ+ equality

Ms SHING (Eastern Victoria—Minister for Water, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Equality) (12:11): It has been a Parliament of not only equity and diversity but also division and trauma, and in this regard I rise to update the house on the work that the Andrews government has done to ensure that equality across the state is not negotiable. It has been an effort that will continue into the future to make sure that everybody across our LGBTIQ+ communities in Victoria has the support, the dignity, the recognition, the visibility and indeed the celebration that they—that we—deserve.

To that end we are proud to lead the way with LGBTIQ+ equality and to build a state where indeed all Victorians feel safe, feel recognised and indeed feel included, and we are making sure that that is matched with dollars. We have invested $21.7 million into the first-ever LGBTIQ+ strategy. This is a 10-year pathway to reform. It includes pride of place, it includes better access to services and it includes an opportunity to have data collected and information gathered which tells the true story—a correct and accurate picture of where and how LGBTIQ+ people experience discrimination, harassment, vilification, isolation, self-harm and, in too many tragic circumstances, suicide. We have come a long way and we have been proud to deliver that progress, but there is still more work to be done.

To every member of our LGBTIQ+ communities across Victoria, I say: we stand with you, we see you and we are so proud of you. In particular to the trans and gender-diverse young people across Victoria, please know that there are better voices than the vocal and horrible minority that you may hear all too often. We are with you, and the work goes on.