LGBTIQ Taskforce Justice Working Group: meeting 13 (11 November 2019)

On 11 November 2019, the LGBTIQ Justice Working Group held its thirteenth meeting, which was the final meeting for the current Working Group, whose terms of appointment finish at the end of November. A new Working Group will meet in 2020.

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

At the meeting, the Department of Premier and Cabinet consulted Working Group members on the terms of reference of the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into Anti-Vilification Provisions (External link). Members discussed the increasing incidence of vilification and hate crimes against the LGBTIQ community, noting that these incidences are often under or not reported, and shortcomings with the Racial and Religious Tolerance Act 2001.

Members also discussed and strongly endorsed the final scoping report which sets out possible models to provide tailored and specialist legal information, education, referrals, and legal advice to LGBTI people in the proposed Victorian Pride Centre.

Working Group members noted work being undertaken by the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages to implement birth certificate reforms, which removes barriers for people who wish to alter the record of sex in their birth registration. Related to this work, members also noted a current survey being undertaken by Ygender and Transgender Victoria (External link) which seeks the views of young trans and gender diverse people and their parents as to who should, apart from doctors and psychologists, be able provide a supporting statement for a child who wishes to alter the record of sex in their birth registration. 

The Department of Justice and Community Safety consulted Working Group members on the Victorian Government’s Conversion Practices Discussion Paper, focussing on the best way/s to implement a ban on conversion practices. Feedback on the Discussion Paper closes on 24 November 2019 and can be found on the Engage Victoria website (External link).