The following political statement has been supplied by Sarah Dekiere who is running as a candidate for Brighton District in the 2022 Victorian State Government election.
Aleph Melbourne will endorse all political candidates who unconditionally support equal rights for LGBTIQ+ Jews and whose values align with ours.
I believe that we should all feel safe and have equal opportunities in life, no matter our sexuality, gender identity or sex characteristics. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer and Asexual (LGBTIQA+) people continue to face discrimination across multiple areas of their lives. We need to improve our laws so that no one faces discrimination or harm because of their sexuality, gender identity or sex characteristics. We need to properly fund LGBTIQA+ led organisations so that people can access quality services that truly meet their needs.
Despite some positive changes, there are still too many gaps in Victoria’s laws which allow discrimination against LGBTIQA+ people to continue. This Discrimination causes harm and its impacts can be deep and damaging.
Our Plan
The Greens plan includes:
An ‘Equality Bill’ for Victoria
- The Greens will introduce comprehensive legislation that will:
- Strengthen the Equal Opportunity Act to prevent all faith-based schools and organisations from discriminating against LGBTIQA+ students, staff and services users.
- Give the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission stronger powers, including stronger investigatory powers and enforceable determinations
- Expand anti-vilification laws to protect LGBTIQA+ people and support victims of hate crimes, including by making vilification and public harassment a crime and legislating to make violence motivated by hate a specific criminal offence
- Ban deferrable medical interventions on children with intersex characteristics and restrict all sex characteristic altering medical treatment on intersex people without personal consent or oversite from an independent expert panel
- Protect the important work of the LGBTIQ+ Communities Commissioner and the LGBTIQ+ Taskforce by enshrining them in legislation
We will also 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.
A $200 Million ‘Rainbow State Fund’ for LGBTIQA+ community-led organisations:
This fund will support initiatives such as:
- Funding for community controlled LGBTIQA+ services in key areas of need such as mental health, youth services, homelessness and sexual health
- Establishing an accommodation facility, with associated support and health services, for trans, gender diverse and non-binary people
- Establishing an LGBTIQA+ Community Hub with family services, youth facilities, events, and co-located health services
- Investing in additional clinical services for trans, gender diverse and non-binary Victorians
- Ongoing funding for pride events and festivals around the state
- Social, psychological and peer support for intersex people and their families
- Support services for survivors of conversion practices