The Palaszczuk Government will continue its strong record of supporting the state's vibrant LGBTIQ+ community, with the LGBTIQ+ Roundtable to continue with a new community-led alliance to be established to boost engagement with Queenslanders of diverse sexualities and genders.
Minister for Communities and Housing Leeanne Enoch said the Queensland LGBTIQ+ Roundtable, which was reinstated by the Palaszczuk Government in 2018, after it was axed by the LNP in 2012, had been an important way of engaging with LGBTIQ+ Queenslanders.
"Since 2018 the roundtable has continued to grow and allow government to consult with LGBTIQ+ Queenslanders on matters of importance to them," Ms Enoch said.
"Members of the roundtable were made up of representatives from a broad spectrum of the LGBTIQ+ community including non-government organisations, university representatives, government agencies, and First Nations representatives.
"At the conclusion of that term of roundtable membership, a review was undertaken to considered how to best engage with LGBTIQ+ Queenslanders.
"As a result of this review, a decision was made to further boost our engagement with the LGBTIQ+ community.
"New terms of reference for the roundtable have been drafted and applications are now open for the next Roundtable members.
"Recognition and empowerment of Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and South Sea Islander lesbian, gay, bisexual, sistergirl and brotherboy identities will be central to the roundtable.
"I will continue to work with the Roundtable to progress issues that matter to LGBTIQ+ Queenslanders, through meaningful and respectful engagement.
"The Palaszczuk Government will also be providing $100,000 funding per year over the next two years for a community-led alliance to support engagement between government and the community, and we will soon begin a procurement process for a suitable supplier to oversee this alliance."
Former members of the roundtable were asked to share their views, ideas and insights as part of the review into engagement with the LGBTIQ+ Queenslanders.
They made a number of suggestions including more regular interaction between the government and LGBTIQ+ community, greater diversity of gender and sexual identities in engagement and more consultation facilitated by the LGBTIQ+ community.
Ms Enoch said the Palaszczuk Government had a strong history of engaging with the LGBTIQ+ community and improving their rights in the state.
"This includes restoring civil partnerships, equalising the age of consent, abolishing the gay panic defence, legalising adoption for same-sex couples and expunging consensual homosexual sex convictions," she said.
"Since our election in 2015, we've worked hard alongside Queensland's LGBTIQ+ community to ensure they are treated fairly and equally.
"We believe all Queenslanders, regardless of their sexuality or gender identity, should be able to participate and be included in their communities and enjoy social and economic wellbeing."
Website link is: https://www.chde.qld.gov.au/lgbtiq-roundtable
