Page 3911 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 1 December 2021
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to give this statement today to update the Assembly on the capital of equality strategy. The strategy reinforced the government’s commitment to LGBTIQ+ equality and human rights. The “plus” in LGBTIQ+ is a reminder that the acronym is not intended to limit this to those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse, intersex and/or queer.
The capital of equality strategy is the most comprehensive of its kind in Australia. The strategy is supported by action plans that outline the measures that will be taken in each phase of implementation. These documents were developed with the advice of our ministerial advisory council. The government is monitoring the progress of the strategy through an inter-directorate working group comprising senior representatives across all ACT government directorates and agencies, as well as through a range of performance measurement tools.
In the first action plan spanning the period 2019 to 2021, the government has taken action to promote understanding of LGBTIQ+ people and issues, deliver more inclusive and accessible services and keep people safe from harm. I committed to deliver a ministerial statement at the conclusion of the first action plan. Today I want to reflect on progress so far, but also focus on the important work that lies ahead.
Madam Speaker, we have banned sexuality and gender identity conversion practices. The Sexuality and Gender Identity Conversion Practices Act 2020 came into effect on 4 March this year. The prohibition prevents harm caused by sexuality and gender identity conversion practices to people who do not consent or who consent because of misleading or deceptive claims about the efficacy of conversion practices. It is also now a criminal offence to perform conversion practices directed at “protected persons”, being children or people with impaired decision-making ability in relation to their health or welfare. The 2021-22 budget increased the Human Rights Commission’s capacity to respond to complaints about sexuality and gender identity conversion practices, among other services, by providing funding for additional staff for the Discrimination, Health Services, Disability and Community Services Commissioner.
We have amended the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1997 to improve processes for changing birth registration and birth certificates for trans and gender diverse young people. We have commenced consultation on reforms to the Discrimination Act 1991 to strengthen and simplify protections against discrimination in line with the territory’s human rights framework. The proposed changes include ways to enhance clarity and consistency across exceptions to discrimination, extending coverage of the act to all areas of public life and the merits of a positive duty on organisations to take action to eliminate discrimination. This review of discrimination law will build on earlier reforms to the Discrimination Act and will ensure that the law promotes systemic change and provides comprehensive and consistent standards of protection from discrimination for all protected groups, including members of LGBTIQ+ communities.
The government is undertaking work to protect the rights of intersex people in medical settings. Over the last two years the government has been engaging with intersex people in Canberra and with organisations across Australia, including health
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