Thursday, 10 February 2022

Ministers statements: LGBTIQA+ equality

Mr ANDREWS (Mulgrave—Premier) (14:07): I am saddened to have to make a statement to again clarify the government’s position when it comes to equality and support for those in the community who need, sadly, protection against bigotry, against hatred and against real threats to their safety, their inclusion, their dignity and their respect. They need that protection it would seem from none other than the commonwealth government. So I do regret having to again put on the record our government’s position when it comes to these matters.

Last Sunday Cath and I marched down Fitzroy Street, St Kilda, not just as a symbol but as a practical measure to show everyone in the LGBTIQ community across Victoria that you are loved, you are respected, you are equal, you are entitled to be safe, you are entitled to be respected and you are entitled to have laws that guarantee that. That is what this Parliament says because we as a government delivered and introduced those laws. They had been once defeated, but we brought them back and they went through this Parliament late last year. We will not sit by and see anything out of the commonwealth government put at risk the protections that we wrote into Victorian law.

It is pretty simple: all kids, whether they are gay or straight, whether they are trans, need support and protection, and all kids ought be protected. Anyone who cuddles up to me and says, ‘Don’t worry. We’ll protect the gay kids and we’ll get around to protecting the trans kids later’, I do not believe them, I do not trust them and I do not think they ought be trusted. Same-sex attracted young people in this state have five times the rate of self-harm. If you look at trans kids, it is 15 times the rate of self-harm. How is it that in 2022 we cannot protect all kids for all reasons at all times and in all places? That is our record, that is our policy, and the federal government ought to be ashamed.