Page 3916 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 1 December 2021
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I think it is a testament to this progressive government in terms of the values that we share and the things that we choose to prioritise in developing what a capital for equality strategy says to our community and to young people in our community, as well as the positive role modelling and leadership that it gives to other subnational governments and, dare I say, the federal government in this country. Obviously, as an ACT legislator and an ACT parliamentarian, I want to do all that I can to make sure the lives of Canberrans are as good as they can possibly be. As a queer person in this country, I look forward to seeing other governments around the country emulate something like the capital equality strategy in their own jurisdictions.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I might go out on a limb here and say that the Chief Minister would probably take meetings with any premier or chief minister across the country who would like to learn from this good work, because young queer people in Sydney, Melbourne, Broken Hill, Darwin and Perth deserve to live in places where they are rewarded by similar strategies.
Obviously, though, as I am prone to do from back here on the crossbench—Madam Speaker, I am always good with the sugar and the vinegar—here comes the vinegar! There has been a lot of financial investment, as the Chief Minister rightly points out, into the overstretched and overworked community sector who do the burden of the heavy lifting to support vulnerable people in our community—organisations like Meridian and A Gender Agenda. I put it on record that I think they are under-resourced and underfunded. In the coming budgets I look forward to seeing more investment in these organisations, because we know the incredibly powerful work that they do.
I am really excited about the government’s legislative program over the next 12 months, in particular this government honouring the commitment that it made to the intersex community. By legislating reforms, it will protect the intersex community. I look forward to bringing forward legislation, which I am currently collaborating with the Chief Minister’s office on, to further protect trans and gender diverse people in the ACT.
I thank Meridian and A Gender Agenda for their work over the last 12 months. It has been a big 12 months. If you are a Canberran who felt like it was a bit stressful being cooped up at home during lockdown, just imagine you are a 15- or 16-year-old kid whose parents do not really know who you are. You are locked down, and you are trying to complete a school certificate at the same time. You are away from your support networks—your self-made family. I imagine that is a particularly stressful time.
I thank the ministerial advisory council, who volunteer their time to make sure that this government’s policy direction is appropriate for sexuality and gender diverse Canberrans. I also thank the very hardworking staff—a very small staff—in the Office of LGBTIQ+ Affairs. They do tremendous work. They support the Chief Minister’s work and the government’s work. The fact that we have such a deliberative nation-leading program to support sexuality and gender diverse people is a credit to their work.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
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