Thursday, 10 February 2022

Ministers statements: Victorian Pride Lobby

Mr LEANE (Eastern Metropolitan—Minister for Local Government, Minister for Suburban Development, Minister for Veterans) (12:21): It is nice to hear a bit of love in the chamber with that last question. Speaking of love, I would like to update the chamber on councils that have signed up to the Rainbow Local Government pledge. The Victorian Pride Lobby have done an enormous amount of work with councils to improve LGBTIQA+ inclusivity and equality in local government. In the lead-up to the 2020 council elections the Victorian Pride Lobby worked with candidates and asked them to take the rainbow pledge to support the following initiatives: undertake the Rainbow Tick accreditation for council-run services, establish a council advisory committee, develop and implement an action plan, fly the rainbow flag on the council’s building on LGBTIQA+ awareness days, march in the annual Pride March and participate in local pride events.

I am very pleased to report since my last update on this initiative that Manningham, Moira, Baw Baw, Kingston, Buloke, Campaspe, Nillumbik, Mansfield, Bendigo, Wodonga and Pyrenees have all agreed to fly the rainbow flag on international days against homophobia, biphobia and transphobia. Ballarat, Port Phillip, Kingston, Hepburn and Maribyrnong have all established or are in the process of establishing advisory committees. Ballarat, Port Phillip, Kingston, Maribyrnong, Darebin and Central Goldfields are all in the process of developing and redeveloping their action plans, and Kingston I think was among other councils that participated in the Pride March on the weekend. I congratulate the pride lobby and the councils that have enacted these important initiatives, and I look forward to giving the chamber a further update on how this is proceeding.