Just.Equal Australia is asking LGBTIQA+ Australians what we want to see on the agenda for the 2022 federal election.
The national advocacy group has launched a survey which asks LGBTIQA+ Australians and allies what issues they most want Australia’s political parties to commit to ahead of the election due sometime in the first half of this year.
“Our survey allows LGBTIQA+ people to rank the issues that matter most to them,” Just.Equal Australia spokesperson Dr Sharon Dane said.
“We then take these issues to the parties and candidates seeking their commitment.”
“Having a set of community priorities sends a message to both politicians and community representatives that it’s not their role to decide what matters to the community, it’s the community’s role.”
“Just.Equal has been conducting community election surveys since its formation in 2016, because we believe the agenda for LGBTIQA+ law reform and policy development should be set democratically, by the community.”
The impending election will inevitably be tied to the looming Religious Discrimination bill, which is currently being investigated by two parliamentary committees: The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights and the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee.
While there has been dissent from both conservative and moderate voices within the government, the bill retains the support of the Prime Minister and Attorney General Michaelia Cash. Labor have signaled they don’t intend to oppose the bill in the lower house, but Shadow Education Minster Tanya Plibersek says the party won’t accept proposals erode people’s rights.
In the most recent round of hearing for the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee, Tasmania’s former Anti-Discrimination Commissioner shared their concerns about the bill.
“It will override other fundamental human rights and freedoms in the name of religious freedom.” Banks said, describing the legislation as a significant departure from the existing framework of discrimination law in Australia.
“It is inconsistent with international human rights law, and thus it’s constitutional validity is questionable, and finally, the package will seriously undermine the existing concurrent operation of state and territory discrimination laws – and through this – and its override of other federal discrimination laws, undermine access to justice.”
Both committees are expected to deliver reports in the coming weeks.
To take the survey, head over to SurveyMonkey.
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