Tuesday, 27 May 2025

Adjournment

Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Children, Minister for Disability) (19:20): I move:

That the house do now adjourn.

LGBTIQA+ homelessness services

Sonja TERPSTRA (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (19:20): (1643) I wish to acknowledge and commend the Minister for Equality in the other place and the Allan Labor government for the continued investment in housing support for LGBTIQA+ Victorians, particularly through the Pride in Place initiative, and the action I seek is for the minister to join me in congratulating FAN. Family Access Network is a proud partner in the Pride in Place consortium, along with VincentCare Victoria, Drummond Street Services and Uniting (Victoria and Tasmania). I was heartened to see firsthand the work being done by FAN’s dedicated team, who provide case management and tailored support for LGBTIQA+ young people aged 15 to 25 across my region. Noteworthy is the funding secured in the last state budget, which provides an additional year of support for the Pride in Place program. This investment builds on previous allocations – just a shade under $250,000 to FAN in the 2021–22 budget and then in the 2023–24 budget – and reflects the strong delivery record and trusted performance of partners like FAN and VincentCare Victoria. To date, Pride in Place has provided safe, inclusive support to over 570 LGBTIQA+ people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. It is a cornerstone of Pride in Our Future: Victoria’s LGBTIQA+ Strategy 2022–32, ensuring that our homelessness services are inclusive and accessible to all. I thank the Minister for Equality for her ongoing support of this vital program and for recognising the importance of targeted, community-led responses that meet the needs of LGBTIQA+ Victorians.