LGBTIQ Taskforce Justice Working Group Communique: meeting 6 (17 December 2018)

On 17 December 2018, the LGBTIQ Justice Working Group held its sixth meeting.

The list of members, terms of reference and communiques are available here 

Specific matters considered

Representatives from Youth Justice attended to present and seek feedback on their proposed approach and methodology for developing a LGBTIQ strategy for young people in the youth justice system.

The proposed approach to developing a LGBTIQ strategy includes building an evidence base to inform the final strategy. Youth Justice representatives discussed with Working Group members the merits and challenges of building an evidence base with the available literature, quantitative and qualitative data.

Youth Justice representatives invited Working Group members to provide feedback on their proposed approach and methodology.

Working Group members also discussed what the priorities of the Working Group should be for the remainder of the Group’s term. A key priority identified by the Working Group was the re-introduction of amendments to the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1996 (the BDMR Act) to remove barriers for a person who wishes to change the sex on their birth certificate. Previous amendments to the BDMR Act to remove barriers were defeated in Parliament in 2016.

Another key priority identified by members was to progress amendments to the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (EO Act) to:

•  improve protections from discrimination on the basis of religion for LGBTIQ students and teachers; and
•  extend the coverage of the EO Act to better protect people who are trans or intersex from discrimination.

The Working Group will next meet on 21 February 2019.