Wear it With Pride: Same-Sex Relationships Law Reform Education Campaign

The National LGBT Health Alliance is taking the lead on an education campaign to inform LGBT communities about changes to 85 areas of law following the 2008 same-sex relationships law reform: Wear It With Pride was launched on 2nd February 2009. 

The campaign is being produced on our behalf by ACON, one of our member organisations, and is being developed and delivered in partnership with LGBT organisations in every state and territory

The objective of the campaign is to inform same-sex attracted people about the implications of the 2008 same-sex relationships Federal law reform, their rights and responsibilities and where to find further information about changes to the affected areas of law.

The Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs agreed to provide $395,000 to fund this campaign in May 2009 following lobbying by a broad coalition of organisations.

The campaign features a website, national and state-based advertisements, the production of educational resources and a series of information sessions delivered in key locations throughout Australia.

The education campaign is being conducted in partnership with the specialist advocacy work being done by the Welfare Rights Network, and both are guided by a shared advisory group.

We are able to draw on the extensive work already being done by many groups across the country to inform LGBT communities of the implications of the law reform.

While the education campaign has a broad focus, the advocacy project focusses specifically on the impact on the law reform on Centrelink entitlements and policies. It will involve the appointment of a dedicated Welfare Rights staff member to provide support and assistance to individual community members, provide training throughout the Welfare Rights Network and to oversee the production of relevant facts sheets.

Together, the education and advocacy project will ensure everyone in a same-sex relationship has access to information on their rights and responsibilites under the new legislation.

An Advisory Group was established to guide the project, with representatives from a broad range of community organisations. A range of other relevant stakeholders have been invited to provide information and advice on particular areas on an ad hoc basis. A campaign officer was appointed at the end of June and the project is now well underway.

Parts of the campaign, for example, information sessions, are being refined and delivered locally by relevant organisations in each state or territory.

As part of the process of developing the campaign, we asked lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and other sexuality, sex and gender diverse people to share some of their thoughts and knowledge about the Federal Government's recent same-sex law reforms. This survey will also assist us to evaluate the sucess of the campaign.

If you interested in being kept informed of developments in this campaign, or have information that might be helpful for us to take into account, please join the email list by sending an email to SSLR@acon.org.au with the words "ADD ME" in the subject line.

Find out more about relationship recognition.

Same-Sex Law Reform Advisory Group

Members

• People with Disability Australia
  Dean Price, Advocacy Projects Manager
• Gay Retirement Association Inc. WA
  Jude Comfort, Board Member
• Australian Coalition for Equality
  Rodney Croome, Spokesperson
• Dr Jo Harrison
  Gerontologist, University of South Australia and Aged Care Consultant
• Working it Out Tasmania
  Susan Ditter,  Executive Officer
• Positive Life NSW
  Rob Lake, CEO
• Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby NSW
  Benjamin Keats, Co-convenor
• Victorian Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby
  Hayley Conway, Convenor
• {also} Foundation
  Lyn Morgain, CEO
• Rainbow Families Council
  Felicity Marlowe, Co-convenor
• Council of the Ageing NSW
  Anne-Marie Elias, Policy and Communications Manager

Participating Project Partners

• National LGBT Health Alliance
  Gabi Rosenstreich, Executive Director (Co-Chair)
• ACON
  Nicholas Parkhill, CEO (Co-Chair)
  Yves Calmette, Manager Education
  Corey Irlam, Campaign Officer
• Welfare Rights Centre
  Maree O'Halloran, Director
  Linda Forbes, Senior Case Worker