Tuesday, 21 March 2023

Ministers statements: LGBTIQA+ support

Mary-Anne THOMAS (Macedon – Leader of the House, Minister for Health, Minister for Health Infrastructure, Minister for Medical Research) (14:03): The Andrews Labor government has always stood in solidarity with LGBTIQ+ who are our partners, our friends, our family members, our colleagues and our loved ones. Under this government the Victorian Population Health Survey expanded to cover that LGBTIQ+ community. This gave a starter to measure the community’s health and wellbeing for the very first time. The outcomes from this measurement were clear: LGBTIQ+ Victorians experience poorer physical health compared to other Victorians. This happens because of stigma, because of discrimination, because of hate. It requires leadership to call this out. Transphobia and discrimination against any member of the LGBTIQ+ community have no place in our community, or indeed in our health system. That is why we will continue always to work with the community to live on their priorities, just as we did in the development of the (i) Am Equal report for the intersex community.

We know that trans and gender-diverse Victorians face significant challenges in the difficult process of questioning, defining and affirming their gender identity. This can be met with a lack of understanding and compassion from people in this community and the services that they need to seek care and support. Our government has proudly invested $21 million to support trans and gender-diverse young people with expanded specialist services at the Royal Children’s and Monash Health gender clinics and additional community peer support. We are also delivering the trans and gender-diverse health initiative to expand the health system’s capacity to support and better meet the needs of trans and gender-diverse Victorians. Despite the life-changing and life-saving progress that has been made, there is always more to do. We will continue to show that leadership. The question is – (Time expired)