Thursday, 19 June 2025

LGBTIQA+ equality

Michael GALEA (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (17:55): (1746) My adjournment this evening is for Minister Ward, the Minister for Equality, and the action that I am seeking is an update on how the government is promoting equality and supporting LGBTIQA+ communities in Victoria. We know in fact and we have had confirmed again in the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee hearings just last week that Victoria is the only state or federal jurisdiction in Australia with an equality minister and the only jurisdiction that has an LGBTIQA+ commissioner as well. So it is especially good to see Minister Ward doing so well in the role, and I am keen to know more about some of the programs that we are running and that we are offering. Indeed just today we had the launch this morning of the LGBTIQA+ inclusive workplaces guidelines from the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission in the south library, a very good event to have the minister and the Attorney-General and others at as well, including Ro Allen and the commissioner himself, who was terrific to have.

We also know that the LGBTIQA+ sector strengthening program is supporting sustainable service delivery and the growth of the LGBTIQA+ community sector. There is $800,000 in funding for various important organisations, including Transgender Victoria, Thorne Harbour Health, Switchboard Victoria and the Victorian Pride Centre, amongst a number of other recipients, and indeed we know how important these different agencies are. I recently had the pleasure of meeting the new CEO of the Victorian Pride Centre as well, who is also a producer on the Saturday Magazine at JOY FM, and I popped on for a quick chat over the weekend, which was really, really lovely. There are many, many important things in that wonderful service that JOY Media provides for not just Victoria’s but Australia’s queer community as well.

Another very significant event on the calendar for many this week was the MEDEAs, the second year of the Melbourne Excellence in Drag and Entertainment Awards, which was an absolute delight to join and be part of and indeed to see the absolutely inimitable Missy La’Minx hosting that award. We appreciate her coming out of retirement, a proud queen from the south-east, I note as well. The event was run by the formidable Leasa Mann. Congratulations in particular to the winner of Drag Queen of the Year Lazy Susan, a very well-deserved winner. Also congratulations to the very tenacious Bella Nitrate, the pioneering AFAB drag queen in Victoria, who won trailblazer of the year. There are so many things to celebrate in the community, and as we celebrate and focus on what is positive and what brings joy we also acknowledge the important work that still needs to be done. For those reasons, I ask the minister for the update.