Candidate statement: Sam Hibbins – Greens for Prahran

Thank you for the opportunity to provide a candidate statement to Aleph Melbourne and thank you for the work you do to support our Jewish LGBTIQA+ community.

Myself and the Victorian Greens are a party who stands with LGBTIQA+ Victorians. And while we’ve come a long way, there’s still more work to be done. The Green are committed to continuing to fight to ensure that all Victorian’s are able to live a happy, healthy and equal life, free from discrimination and prejudice.

The LGBTIQA+ communities in Victoria are strong and resilient, but we also know of the disparities in the mental health and wellbeing of the LGBTIQA+ community when compared to the general population.

There’s still members of the LGBTIQA+ communities who face discrimination, prejudice, violence, isolation, stigma and exclusion and this causes harm and affect people’s health and well being in a profound way.

Myself and the Greens are committed to continuing to address these harms and to fighting for a more just and inclusive future.

The Victorian Greens have launched our Rainbow State Action Plan.

https://greens.org.au/vic/rainbowstateplan

This plan includes two key elements. The first is further changes to our laws, we need to continue to strengthen our equal opportunity laws, we must expand anti-vilification laws and make vilification and public harassment a crime to better protect LGBTIQA+ people and support victims of hate crimes.

We need to look at a ban of deferrable medical interventions on intersex children and continue to work with the LGBTIQA+ community to identify further areas of reform, including adoption, assisted reproductive treatment and surrogacy, to make sure that our laws protect everyone.

The second element is a Rainbow State Fund of $200 million over the next term for community-controlled LGBTIQA+ organisations, with a focus on key areas of need such as mental health, youth services, homelessness and sexual health.

We’ve heard that LGBTIQA+ community organisations are tired of the funding uncertainty, or the constant under funding.

And we know the need and demand in communities for dedicated services is high. These services are best delivered by community, for community.

We’d also specifically fund:

• An additional clinical services for trans, gender diverse and non-binary Victorians
• An accommodation facility, with associated support and health services, for trans, gender diverse and non-binary people
• Social, psychological and peer support for intersex people and their families
• Establishing an LGBTIQA+ Community Hub with family services, youth facilities, events, and co-located health services
• Support services for survivors of conversion practices
• Ongoing funding for pride events and festivals around the state

Everyone should feel safe from discrimination and be able to access support and services that meet their needs.

To Aleph members and LGBTIQA+ communities across Victoria, the Greens stand with you.

We see you. We hear you. And we’re fighting for you in the state parliament, so that Victoria truly becomes the rainbow state.

Sam Hibbins MP

Member for Prahran
Victorian Greens spokesperson for LGBTIQA+ Equality