LGBTIQA+ community members in Western Australia’s South West have dismissed a recent letter from Minister Hannah Beazley as a “non-response” to their concerns.
They remain critical of what they describe as the state government’s ongoing failure to address structural issues they say underpin most LGBTIQA+ discrimination and prejudice.
The Busselton Pride Alliance (BPA) has argued that the state’s Inclusion Strategy excludes regional communities and fails to commit to specific law reforms. The group has called for the removal of special religious exemptions, updates to hate speech laws, and a ban on conversion practices.
BPA chair Meeka Smith said the Strategy, when launched, failed to take up substantive issues raised by LGBTIQA+ people in regional Western Australia.
“In particular, it offered no immediate improvements to access in regional areas, no clear action on safe, inclusive care and specialist services, no procurement reform to ensure government-funded services meet LGBTIQA+ inclusion standards, and no minimum standards embedded in health service agreements,” Smith said.
“We raised all of these issues during the consultation period and again with the Minister after the Strategy was launched. But the Minister’s bureaucratic reply did not address any of the points we raised. It is a non-response. Our community deserves much better than this.”
While BPA’s letter to the Minister outlined specific areas of concern, Beazley’s response largely highlighted recent government funding announcements and the establishment of a peak body for LGBTIQA+ communities.
In her response, the Minister said the government remained committed to key issues, but did not provide timelines for when long-promised legislative changes would occur.
“The Cook Labor Government has taken steps to support community priorities, including progressing reforms to gender reassignment and surrogacy laws, and committing to further legislative reform in relation to equal opportunity and conversion practices,” Beazley said.
“Legislative and other relevant actions will be undertaken by the responsible portfolio ministers and respective public sector agencies.”
In its letter, BPA noted that the Department of Health has been tasked with developing a WA Health Delivery Plan, but argued that creating another plan would only delay action.
Smith said the government’s approach lacked accountability.
“Without enforceable commitments, funding allocations, and clear accountability measures, there is no credible basis to believe this will deliver real change,” she said.
Smith pointed to the continued employment of clinician Dr Thomas Brough by WA Country Health in Albany as an example of the government’s failure to address community concerns.
Dr Brough, in his role as a councilor at the City of Albany, has expressed opposition to the city’s annual Pride Celebrations and voiced concern that the globally the LGBTIQA+ communities embrace people who he describes as ‘minor attracted people (MAP)’. Dr Brough was the Liberal party’s candidate for Albany at the 2025 state election and also made public statements supporting major changes to Western Australia’s abortion laws.
“It undermines trust in public health services and discourages people from seeking care.” Smith said.
“In regional areas, where alternative providers do not exist, government contracting decisions directly determine whether LGBTIQA+ people can access safe care,” Smith said. “Religious organisations are given contracts to deliver public services while retaining legal rights to discriminate. Without procurement reform and enforceable inclusion requirements, the state is effectively outsourcing responsibility for inclusion and leaving vulnerable people exposed.”
Smith said Minister Beazley had not acknowledged or addressed this concern.
BPA said it will seek a meeting with Dr Katrina Stratton MLC, based in Eaton, and will continue pushing for an urgent review of the Inclusion Strategy, with a focus on practical outcomes through law reform, procurement requirements, and responses to the specific needs of regional communities.
