Thursday, 23 February 2023

Ministers statements: LGBTIQ+ equality

Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for Water, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Commonwealth Games Legacy, Minister for Equality) (12:04): Today I rise to speak as the Minister for Equality. Today and every day I am so grateful for the resilience, the respect, the kindness, the wisdom and the courage of everyone across our LGBTIQ+ communities. We are strong, but we should not have to be this strong. We are strong because we have no choice, and sometimes, despite all of our best efforts to love and accept ourselves, tragically we are just not strong enough. There are those in this chamber who are using their positions of power and privilege to wage a war against some of our most vulnerable Victorians, and there are also a number of people in this chamber who are all too happy to hide behind rainbow flags and placards, hide under –

Georgie Crozier: On a point of order, President, in terms of a ministers statement around government policy, the minister is having a broad-ranging debate here and talking about other members in the chamber. I am just wondering if there is going to be a government initiative related to this statement that the minister is making.

The PRESIDENT: I believe that the minister was talking on government policy.

Harriet SHING: It is funny you should interject there, Ms Crozier, because you are celebrated by Liberal Pride as being one of the allies and leaders joining Liberal Pride –

Georgie Crozier: On a point of order, President, the minister is correct. I have been marching with Liberal Pride for quite some time and –

The PRESIDENT: I think you are debating. Is there a point of order? I think you are debating the point.

Georgie Crozier: She is just reflecting on a number of members on the opposite side of the house. I would just ask her to be courteous about reflecting on members on this side of the house.

The PRESIDENT: I thought she was not being derogative towards you, Ms Crozier, so it is a little bit strange. If she was being derogatory towards you, you could call for her to withdraw. But let me think in the future if that happens.

Harriet SHING: Liberal Pride has been celebrated as including Ms Crozier, Dr Bach, the Leader of the Opposition in the other place Mr Pesutto and the deputy Mr Southwick, and yet when it comes to standing up against transphobic and homophobic views which cause very real damage – damage which we know only too well to peak where we have debate and discussion which is about making us feel less worthy of our identities, our stories and the pain that we face in order to continue a discussion about just being treated equally, having equal rights, having access to medical information and care and having opportunities the same as those people across the chamber who would seek to actually call them into question – I look forward to seeing the Liberals actually stand up for something. I look forward to seeing the Leader of the Opposition appear on questions of equality, because he is missing in action and he is a disgrace. (Time expired)

David Davis: On a point of order, President, question time and ministers statements are not a time to spend just attacking the opposition, and that is what the member did and continues to do, and it is against the standing orders.

The PRESIDENT: I will rule on the point of order. Mr Davis, you are correct that question time and ministers statements are not an opportunity to attack the opposition. I will consider whether being able to speak on alternative policies may be in line with a ministers statement, but I think –

Members interjecting.

The PRESIDENT: Order! I think before the next sitting week I will put consideration around these points of order.