A Message from the Chief Minister Introduction from the Minister for Social Inclusion Achieving Social Inclusion Safer Families Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander People Culturally and Linguistically Diverse People People with Disability Children and Young People LGBTIQ People Older People Supporting Disadvantaged People & Families Mental Health Law & Justice Education
LGBTIQ People
The ACT continues to be the most welcoming city in Australia for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) persons. The ACT Government is committed to providing support and services to Canberra’s LGBTIQ communities. This is an important part of the Government’s commitment to social inclusion and equality.
The Government’s recognition of LGBTIQ people comes in many forms – and includes legislative change to eliminate discriminatory laws, sponsorships and a commitment to ensuring that development of a truly accepting and welcoming community begins with children.
The ACT Government has made a number of legislative changes that aim to remove discrimination from our legislative framework:
- Recognised same-sex relationships through the Domestic Partnerships Act in 1994, which granted unmarried heterosexual couples and same sex couples similar property rights to those enjoyed by married couples.
- Commenced a law reform process to clear our statute book of discrimination against LGBTIQ people in areas ranging from property rights to adoption laws, in 2001.
- Passed civil partnership legislation so that all loving, caring relationships are recognised the same way under law, regardless of sexuality.
- Passed laws that updated the definition of ‘intersex’ in ACT law, including the removal of reassignment surgery as a prerequisite for a person to change their legal status. New arrangements include a clear and simple process for intersex people to change the sex on their birth certificates, making a significant difference to the lives of sex and gender diverse people born in the Territory.
- Passed the Marriage Equality (Same-Sex) Act 2013, which commenced on 4 November 2013. The Act represented landmark law reform in Australia. Thirty one marriages were registered under the Act between its commencement on 7 November and 12 December 2015 when the Act was found invalid by the High Court. Couples who married under the Act were able to keep their certificate but are unable to use it as legal proof of their marriage. While the issue of marriage equality is now a decision for the Commonwealth Parliament, the ACT Government will continue to strongly support true legal equality for all couples.
- Improved recognition of diverse Canberrans by:
- Introducing details certificates, which set out personal information including gender. The details certificate will allow intersex, transgender and gender diverse people residing in the ACT, who were not born here, to have their gender identity officially recognised in the same way as those people born in the ACT;
- Giving parents greater choice as to how they are referenced on a child’s birth certificate;
- Allowing for recognition of interstate parentage orders;
- Providing flexibility in documenting name changes; and
- Allowing for proof of identity cards to assist people who do not have other forms of identity and where a proof of age card is not appropriate.
Improving Social Inclusion for LGBTIQ Students in Schools
The Australian Curriculum builds the understanding and relationship skills of student by requiring teacher to cover in the classroom general capabilities including:
- Personal and social capabilities which involves students in a range of practices including recognising and regulating emotions, developing empathy for others and understanding relationships, establishing and building positive relationships, making responsible decisions, working effectively in teams, handling challenging situations constructively and developing leadership skills.
- Ethical understandings which involves students building a strong personal and socially oriented ethical outlook that helps them to manage context, conflict and uncertainty, and to develop an awareness of the influence that their values and behaviour have on others. It does this through fostering the development of ‘personal values and attributes such as honesty, resilience, empathy and respect for others’.
The Safe and Supportive Schools policy articulates the position of the ACT public schools to provide a safe, respectful and supportive school environment. It focuses on safety by ensuring that schools have processes and procedures in place to address bullying, harassment and violence, which was also a focus of the Report of the Expert Panel on Students with Complex Needs and Challenging Behaviours (2015). The Safe and Supportive Schools guidelines provides further guidance to schools to ensure that all schools will have in place practices and programs that are designed to ensure that all students are protected from sexual harassment.
- The Government has provided $430,000 in funding for school Social and Emotional Learning programs over 2015 and 2016. The funding is part of the ACT Government’s early intervention and prevention approach to respectful relationships by enhancing the skills of children and young people in schools.
- Safe and Supportive Schools Contact Officers (SASCOs) in each school who work with students to address harassment and provide support as well as promoting tolerance and safety within the school environment. SASCOs are provided training to support them in their roles.
The Education Directorate also co-ordinates school activities on the National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence (usually mid March of each year).
Twenty four schools in the ACT have joined the Safe Schools Coalition. The Coalition comprises of schools dedicated to creating a safe and inclusive learning environment for same sex attracted, intersex and gender diverse students, staff and families, and is working to create inclusive and positive environments for same sex attracted, intersex and gender diverse students, through:
- School psychologists - as well as providing counselling to students, also provide advice to school staff on wellbeing issues for LGBTIQ and work collaboratively in school teams with the Safe Schools Coalition to support staff to understand and address the needs of student who identify as LGBTIQ.
- The Education Directorate is currently revising the Uniform Policy, Procedure and Guidelines based on advice from the ACT LGBTIQ Ministerial Advisory Council regarding inclusive approaches, and a student’s right to choose a uniform which is consistent with their gender identity.
- Play by the Rules and Fair Go, Sport programs aim to encourage everyone to participate in sport in a safe welcoming environment, increase awareness of sexual and gender diversity, and reduce discrimination or harassment.
In support of our LGBTIQ community, the Government has:
- Received the records of the AIDS Action Council of the ACT in August 2015 at the ACT Heritage Library, and exhibited items from the collection in September 2015.
- Provided sponsorship of the SpringOUT festival. SpringOUT is the ACT LGBTIQ pride event and has been an annual event since 1999. Through a range of activities over a number of weeks SpringOUT celebrates the LGBTIQ community and raises awareness of services and issues that affect them.
- Joined the Pride in Diversity program in May 2015 to strengthen diversity training for Government officials, particularly frontline staff. The Chief Minister also called on the Canberra Business Chamber and the Community Sector to nominate “Diversity Champions” to work with Government champions to promote social inclusion and equality.
- Provided funding to A Gender Agenda to provide support to the Transgender and Intersex community of the ACT through support, advocacy, workshops, community events, information and resources, training and community education and human rights and law reform.
The LGBTIQ Advisory Council provides Government with practical and strategic advice to support the LGBTIQ community, improve the lives of people who identify as LGBTIQ and promote an inclusive Canberra. The Council is currently progressing key pieces of work including furthering links with important human services areas such as age care, education, justice and community participation.
The AIDS Action Council of the ACT, along with its partners - A Gender Agenda, Northside Community Services, and Sexual Health and Family Planning ACT, provide support services and community development activities in the ACT’s LGBTIQ communities. These support services include strengthening service provision to LGBTIQ people, who can be particularly vulnerable, at risk, or isolated. A key focus is to improve the capability and awareness in the community around LGBTIQ issues and provide LGBTIQ focussed training for employees and volunteers across the community sector. The outcomes support the development of services for LGBTIQ persons, as well projects which provide improved mental health, social and emotional wellbeing support.
