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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-09-05 Daily Xml
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RAINBOW ADVISORY COUNCIL

The Hon. S.G. WADE (14:31): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion a question relating to LGBTIQ policy.

Leave granted.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: The Labor government abolished the Gay and Lesbian Ministerial Advisory Council on Health in 2008. The AIDS Council of South Australia has highlighted the government's failure to recognise the needs of the LGBTIQ community in that it does not have a dedicated or responsible minister, it does not have a ministerial advisory structure and it does not have a designated departmental unit or dedicated LGBTIQ health policy planning or strategy. Last week the government announced that the government is establishing a Rainbow Advisory Council, and I quote:

...to participate in discussions and provide advice on policies, programs, services and processes within government.

My questions to the minister are:

1. Does the minister agree that South Australia needs dedicated LGBTIQ health policy planning and strategy?

2. Will the new Rainbow Advisory Council have a direct reporting relationship to the Minister for Health on LGBTIQ health issues and services?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, Minister for Social Housing, Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers) (14:32): I would like to thank the honourable member for his most important questions and his ongoing interest and support in this area. South Australia has a strong history of social innovation and celebrating the contribution of people from diverse backgrounds. Despite this, LGBTIQ people can most definitely experience in many respects marginalisation, vulnerability and discrimination.

The Department for Communities and Social Inclusion, in partnership with the South Australian LGBTIQ community, will develop an inclusion strategy. The development of such a strategy is in line with the state government's strategic priorities of creating safe and healthy communities and creating a vibrant city.

To inform the strategy's development an advisory group of 16 LGBTIQ people is being established, as the honourable member noted. The advisory group, to be known as the Rainbow Advisory Council, will report to the chief executive of the Department for Communities and Social Inclusion. The council will provide specific advice on how government policies, programs, services and strategies can be made more responsive to gender and sexually diverse people.

As part of the strategy, LGBTIQ people will also be invited to participate in a survey to identify what is important to them and what sort of issues the Rainbow Advisory Council should consider. It is anticipated that a wide range of issues will be identified through the rainbow survey and the Rainbow Advisory Council's deliberations. Advisory groups such as the Rainbow Advisory Council provide a powerful opportunity for South Australians to engage directly with government about issues affecting them, and I am sure that this is an opportunity that all members in this place would support.

The state government engages with many advisory groups to do just the same sort of job. Advisory groups such as these allow many different South Australians with different views and interests to engage directly with government decision-makers. Under the Labor government, South Australia will continue to be a state of social innovation that welcomes a rich, diverse and inclusive culture for all to share.

Labor will not allow the narrow view held by some people in our community that leads to hate and discrimination, that leads to violence and persecution, but Labor will be fostering acceptance and tolerance of diverse views in our society. This Labor government will continue with its broad social agenda and foster the environment and create the opportunities to keep South Australia ahead of the other states as a welcoming, inclusive community, a place where we all want to live, which I am sure is a vision everybody in this chamber can share.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Wade has a supplementary.

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