Thursday, 20 February 2020

Ministers statements: gender equality

Mr FOLEY (Albert Park—Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Equality, Minister for Creative Industries) (11:37): In 2014, when this government was elected, we committed that all Victorians, and particularly LGBTIQ Victorians, needed to be treated equally and fairly in this state, and every day since then, and certainly since the 2018 election, we have recommitted to that. When it comes to LGBTI equality, that is not negotiable in Victoria, because this is a government that promises and delivers on its commitments. That is why I was so pleased to join with the Premier and over 10 000 other Victorians recently to march down Fitzroy Street in the biggest Pride March in its 25-year history to celebrate LGBTIQ equality and, particularly, pass the emerging Victorian Pride Centre in Fitzroy Street. I was particularly pleased to join with the Premier and commit the final $10 million that centre needs to become Australia’s first pride centre and the home where LGBTIQ Victorians and community organisations can come together and organise and pursue their campaigns to make sure that equality, in reality, is not negotiable in Victoria and be the organising base for those communities.

It will have homes for organisations like JOY FM, Minus18, the Australian Lesbian and Gay Archives, the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, Switchboard Victoria, Star Health, Thorne Harbour Health and many others. It was a particularly important opportunity for us to point to the exciting future that the Pride Centre, Australia’s first pride centre, will have as a home for Victorian LGBTIQ community members. What we need to realise is that this will be a home in 2021 that more than 10 000 Victorians can proudly march past as a part of LGBTIQ equality in this great state.

Ms McLeish: On a point of order, Speaker, I bring to your attention three unanswered questions on notice, all put to the education minister. Question 1185 was asked in September last year, so it is considerably overdue. The other two were asked in November and due on 27 December: 1709 and 1713. I would appreciate it if you could alert the minister, as I just have, and get a response for me asap. Thank you.

Mr Hibbins: On a point of order, Speaker, I bring your attention to two unanswered questions well beyond their due date: question 1070 to the Minister for Housing, and question 1801 to the Minister for Education. If you could bring those questions to the ministers’ attention and ask them to answer them, that would be much appreciated.

The SPEAKER: I will follow both those matters up for the members that have raised them.