The expert advisory committee will inform the Victorian Government on legislative reform, policies and programs. Photo: Kokkai Ng.
The Victorian Government has announced the new members of its fifth LGBTIQA+ Taskforce and Working Groups. From New Year’s Day 2024, the state’s Queer communities will have a fresh set of advocates informing the government on policies directly affecting them.
On 8 December, Acting Minister for Equality Steve Dimopoulos pronounced the changing of the guard as one of the state’s two first openly gay cabinet ministers, the other being Housing Minister Harriet Shing. During the group members’ two-year term, the groups are expected to focus on building leadership and capability, enhancing Queer metropolitan and regional networks across the state.
‘Pride in Our Future’, the Victorian Government’s first LGBTIQA+ strategy, was launched in February 2022 as a decade-long roadmap to improving equality and inclusion for the state’s diverse communities. In comparison to other Victorians, members of the Queer community face high levels of discrimination, stigma and exclusion, resulting in inadequate health, economic, social and mental health outcomes.
Mr Dimopoulos thanked the outgoing members for their contributions and welcomed the new members joining the expert advisory committee.
“This work is nation-leading and especially important in a year when we have seen an increase in discrimination and hatred towards LGBTIQA+ communities,” he said.
“We must continue to work together towards a Victoria where everyone can feel safe, supported, and equal regardless of their gender or sexual orientation.”
The taskforce and working groups have been aligned with the government’s LGBTIQA+ Leadership Program, which hopes to maintain the legacy of this channel between the Queer community and state government. New and returning members were selected through an open and competitive recruitment process, and Michael Galea MP has been appointed for the first time as parliamentary co-chair of all the working groups.
Members of the taskforce include Jayde de Bondt, Antoinette (Tony) Briffa, Karen Bryant, Margherita Coppolino, Janet Jukes, Elvis Martin, Sean Mulcahy, Alex Potter and Dean Sutton, with Adam Bourne as community co-chair.
Alex Potter has been appointed as community co-chair of the Health and Wellbeing Working Group, alongside Noushin Barghi, Deb Chumbley, Tom Dickson, Tara Laursen, Jemma Mead, Simon Ruth and Ricki Spencer.
Sean Mulcahy was declared community co-chair of the Justice Working Group, which includes Aimee Cooper, Jean Dinco, Jamie Gardiner, Ryan Hsu, Janet Jukes, Danijel Malbasa, Jasmine McGowan and Cassandra Martin.
