Tasmanians will head back to the polls on Saturday 19th July and all parties are being urged to consider the needs of the island state’s LGBTIQA+ communities.
Two of Tasmania’s lead LGBTIQA+ organisations, Working It Out and Equality Tasmania, have welcomed commitments from the three major parties and independents to election priorities including critical law reform and service provisions for the LGBTIQA+ community, but say crucial areas of disadvantage need to be addressed.
They say Labor, the Liberals and the Greens all support stronger hate crime legislation, financial redress for victims of the state’s former laws against homosexuality and cross-dressing, and a ban on conversion practices.
They also back a whole-of-government LGBTIQA+ action plan and training for health workers in LGBTIQA+ health issues.
But both organisations say more is needed to address the disadvantages facing LGBTIQA+ Tasmanians.
Working It Out CEO, Olivia Hogarth said more needed to be done in the mental health space.
“Tasmania needs a dedicated LGBTIQA+ mental health service.”
“National research shows levels of mental health risk among young LGBTIQA+ Tasmanians, due to stigma and discrimination, is the worst in the nation.”
“Local and national research also indicates demand for a dedicated, community-led service which addresses the barriers often experienced by LGBTIQA+ people when accessing mainstream services.”
“The Liberal Government has funded mental health peer navigators but both Labor and the Greens have agreed to a dedicated LGBTIQA+ mental health service.”
Equality Tasmania Acting President, Dr Ash Russell, said law reforms were long overdue.
“It’s great that all three parties agree on key law reforms, but these reforms are long overdue and we need a strong commitment to delivering them as quickly as possible after the election.”
“The longer a conversion ban takes the more interstate perpetrators will find a haven for their damaging practices in our state.”
“The longer it takes to enact financial redress the more elderly gay and trans people will die before they can receive that redress.”
Equality Tasmania will host an LGBTIQA+ election forum at 7pm on Wednesday July 9th. Party and independents’ responses to Equality Tasmania’s survey can be found here.
