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Federal Election 2010

Election Survey

The 2010 federal election will determine what progress we can make in improving the health and wellbeing of sexuality, sex and gender diverse Australians, and how quickly.

We surveyed the main political parties and key portfolio holders to find out about their commitment to these LGBTI health and wellbeing issues.

Our survey asked about core issues that we want to see most urgent action on:

  • A joined up national plan to address the health and wellbeing needs of LGBTI Australians, in partnership with LGBTI communities
  • A funded national NGO peak body, in keeping with the Australian government's response to the needs of other equity groups

With the solid foundation provided by these two actions, we see a genuine potential to make real, sustainable progress to improve LGBTI health and wellbeing across a range of areas. Both the Greens and the Democrats supported these actions. The Coalition explicitly rejected them, and Labour did not specifically respond, although they did commit to consult and collaborate with LGBTI communities.

We also identified issues across 6 core themes and asked about the parties' commitment to a range of actions in each. We welcome the support of the Greens and Democrats for wide-ranging and resourced action on LGBTI health. Labor have made some important commitments to build on work to date, but fail to commit to effectively resourcing the LGBTI community sector and did not provide clear responses to a number of the questions we asked. The Liberal+National Coalition lacks any practical actions or commitments.

Click here to see an overview of the responses to our survey from Labor, the Coalition, the Greens and the Democrats, and click here to open our media release.
Click here to see the full responses.

We asked for a commitment to:

  • Access, Equity and Inclusion:
    A requirement for government/government funded services to put in place and report on measures to ensure the inclusion of LGBTI service users
    &   inclusion of questions on sexual and gender identity and intersex status in government sponsored research, including the census
    &   national roll out of sexuality, sex and gender diversity awareness training for health and community service workers
    &   a requirement for government funded services to monitor access and outcomes for LGBTI clients
  • Ageing:
    Recognition of LGBTI seniors as a 'special needs group' in aged care/seniors policy
    &   a national LGBTI aged care policy and development position
    &   research into the health and wellbeing (including social and economic needs) of LGBTI seniors
    &   allocation of dedicated LGBTI care packages (HACC, EACH, CACP)
    &   LGBTI community based information, assessment and case coordination services for LGBTI seniors
  • Sex and Gender Diversity:
    Implementation of the recommendations of the Australian Human Rights Commission's 'Sex Files' report
    &   state/territory implementation of responsibilities arising from the 'Sex Files' report
    &   Medicare payment of the cost of sex reassignment surgery, hormone treatment and body modification
    &   review of non-essential surgical interventions on intersex infants, children and young people
  • Mental Health:
    Recognition of LGBTI people as a priority population group in mental health policy and programs
    &   a national program of action to address the specific mental health needs of sexuality, sex and gender diverse people, including a national LGBTI mental health policy and development position
    &   support for LGBTI counselling/support services
    &   prioritisation of same-sex attracted and sex and gender diverse young people in the national youth suicide prevention strategy
  • Preventative Health:
    Recognition of LGBTI people as a priority population group in the preventative health and women's health policies and programs
    &   inclusion of the specific needs of LGBTI people in government funded social marketing campaigns, in partnership with LGBTI communities
    &   resources for LGBTI community organisations to deliver culturally appropriate, peer based social marketing and other preventative and health promotion services to LGBTI people and communities
  • Anti-discrimination:
    Federal anti-discrimination laws to protect from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity
    &   standardised laws relating to sexuality, sex and gender diverse people across the states and territories (e.g. in relation to parenting)
    &  a national campaign promoting the social inclusion of LGBTI Australians, tackling stigma and discrimination
    &   a national approach to reducing violence against LGBTI people
    &   amendment of the Marriage Act to allow same-sex couples to marry

Click here to see the full responses we have received from Labor, the Coalition, the Greens and the Democrats.

Download the Alliance Election Survey or download a 1 page (A3) summary of the election survey. You might like to use this if meeting with candidates.

Download an overview of the Australian Government's response to equity groups

 

Get Involved!

We encourage you to use the key themes and questions in the Alliance survey in any of your dealings with candidates in your local area.  You may like to:

  • write to local candidates asking for their response to the survey
  • meet with local candidates and seek support for these issues
  • hold a local ‘hustings’ event at which some of these questions can be put (let us know if you are holding an event, we can help spread the word)
  • send out the survey, or a summary of the issues, to your own members asking them to contact their local candidates
  • contact your local LGBTI or mainstream media calling for action on LGBTI health

We would appreciate hearing about any comment or feedback you receive.

A number of election resources which you might find helpful:

Party websites:

 

Alliance Media Releases

Major Parties Lack Action on LGBTI Health (13 August, 2010)

Responses to the National LGBT Health Alliance’s Federal Election survey show that Labor and the Coalition are lacking in comprehensive plans for real action to move forward improvements in lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex (LGBTI) health and wellbeing.

The Greens and the Democrats are the only parties to commit to a wide number of priority actions identified by the Alliance.

Key commitments to develop a national plan to address LGBTI health issues and to fund a national non-government peak body for the LGBTI community were rejected by the Coalition, not responded to directly by Labor and supported by the Greens and Democrats.

“Overall we are disappointed that Labor and the Coalition have no plans to resource a national, joined-up and strategic approach to the health and wellbeing of LGBTI Australians.  Such an approach exists for all other ‘equity’ groups, but not for the LGBTI community,” said Paul Martin, Alliance Chair.

“We welcome the support of the Greens and Democrats for wide-ranging and resourced action on LGBTI health.  Labor have made some important commitments to build on work to date and to consult with us as the LGBTI peak body for health and wellbeing, but lack an overall approach and fail to commit to effectively resourcing the LGBTI community sector.  The Coalition lacks any practical actions or commitments,” said Gabi Rosenstreich, Alliance Executive Director.

Highlights of Labor’s response include:

  • Commitment to consult with LGBTI peak bodies on key health issues affecting these communities
  • Inclusion of LGBTI people in its commitment of $22.4million in funding to “support community-led prevention activities targeted at groups and communities which are at high risk of suicide”
  • Support for the enactment of legislation prohibiting discrimination on the basis of a person’s sexual orientation or gender status and working with states & territories to create nationally consistent laws (e.g. surrogacy).
  • Recently funded a pilot of training for aged care workers on LGBTI issues (NSW only)
  • Promised inclusion of lesbian, bisexual and transgender women in the to-be released National Women’s Health Policy (already have inclusion of gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex men in the National Male Health Policy)
  • Recognition of the need to work with LGBTI communities in order to develop preventative health strategies and other health policies and programs that address the needs of LGBTI Australians
  • Commitment to audit current requirements for the recording of gender in federal government documents and records and to develop a consistent Commonwealth position in response to the Human Rights Commission’s ‘Sex Files’ report.

Highlights of the Coalition’s response include:

  • Recognition that amendments to Commonwealth legislation may be necessary in respect of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

Highlights of the Greens’ response include:

  • Commitment to working in partnership with the LGBTI community to develop a fully integrated and holistic health plan
  • Support for the funding ($300,000) of a national non-government peak body for the LGBTI community sector
  • Support for including questions on sexual and gender identity in government sponsored research
  • Support for a roll out of national sexuality, sex and gender diversity training for health and community service workers
  • Support for recognising LGBTI seniors as a special needs group in aged care/senior’s policy, and better data on their needs
  • Support for implementation of the Human Rights Commission’s ‘Sex Files’ report through a whole of government approach, Medicare funding for sex reassignment surgery (including body modification procedures), and enabling intersex people to make their own decision in relation to their gender identity
  • Support for more investment in telephone and face-to-face support services for LGBTI people and inclusion of LGBTI people in a national suicide prevention and awareness campaign
  • Support for prevention and awareness campaign to be targeted and address the specific needs of LGBTI people
  • Commitment to advocate for federal anti-discrimination law to protect against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity
  • Support for a national approach to reducing violence against LGBTI people
  • Commitment to reintroduce legislation to amend the Marriage Act to allow same-sex couples to marry

Highlights of the Democrats’ response include their support for:

  • National work on LGBTI health, including a properly funded health advocacy organisation
  • A requirement that government funded services put in place measures to ensure inclusion of LGBTI people, including faith based groups
  • More research on LGBTI people, roll-out of sexuality, sex and gender identity training for health and community workers and services to monitor access and outcomes for LGBTI clients
  • Recognition of LGBTI seniors as a special needs group in aged care policy
  • Funding of a national LGBTI aged care policy position and more research into the needs of LGBTI seniors
  • Implementation of the Human Rights Commission’s ‘Sex Files’ report recommendations
  • Medicare funding of sex reassignment surgery, hormone treatment and body modification procedures conducted in Australia and overseas
  • Stopping non-essential surgical interventions on intersex infants, children and young people
  • LGBTI people to be a priority in mental health policy
  • A national program to address the specific mental health needs of LGBTI people, funding for counselling/support services and prioritising same-sex attracted and sex and gender diverse young people in national youth suicide prevention
  • Recognition of LGBTI people as priority population groups in preventative health and women’s health strategy and resourcing LGBTI community organisations to deliver health promotion
  • Introduction of anti-discrimination laws on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity
  • Standardising state & territory laws, a national campaign promoting the social inclusion of LGBTI people, a national approach to reducing violence and amending the marriage act to allow same-sex couples to marry.

Open a pdf version of this media release.

Beyond Marriage: Moving Forward National Action on LGBTI Health (19 July, 2010)

The National LGBT Health Alliance has today released its 2010 Federal Election National Survey.

While marriage equality remains a key concern for many in the LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex) community, there are also a range of other health and wellbeing issues that affect the day-to-day lives of LGBTI and other sexuality, sex and gender diverse Australians.

Re-analysis of data by the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows homosexual/bisexual people are:

  • 4 times more likely to have ever been homeless (12% ‘homosexual/bisexual’ v. 2.9% ‘heterosexual’)
  • twice as likely to have no contact with family or no family to rely on for serious problems (11.8% v. 5.9%)
  • more likely to be a current smoker (35.7% v.22%)
  • twice as likely to have used illicit drugs (64.6% v. 33.2%)
  • more likely to have had a chronic condition in the last 12 months (51.3% v. 46.9%)
  • twice as likely to have a high/very high level of psychological distress (18.2% v. 9.2%)
  • almost 3 times as likely to have had suicidal thoughts (34.7% v. 12.9%)
  • 5 times as likely to have had suicidal plans (17.1% v. 3.7%)
  • 4 times as likely to have attempted suicide (12.6% v. 3.1%)

[Australian Bureau of Statistics (2007) ‘National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing’]
Unfortunately the survey did not ask gender identity or allow for sex outside a male/female binary, so we don’t have this data for trans or intersex Australians, but we know from other research that the numbers are likely to be even worse.

The Alliance is calling on all major parties to commit to:

  • Developing a joined up national plan to address the health and wellbeing needs of LGBTI Australians.
  • Funding the National LGBT Health Alliance as the non-government national peak body for LGBT health and community services.

“The government responds to the needs of other equity groups in Australia with a national plan and a funded national NGO peak body, along with a named Minister/Parliamentary Secretary, national advisory group and a funded departmental unit” said Paul Martin, Chair of the National LGBT Health Alliance.  “The LGBTI community has none of this, yet we face higher health risk factors, less access to health services and poorer health outcomes.”

The Alliance is also calling for action across 6 key health & wellbeing themes:

  1. Access, Equity & Inclusion – a requirement that government/government funded services put in place and report on measures to ensure inclusion of LGBTI service users.
  2. An Ageing Population – recognising LGBTI seniors as a ‘special needs group’ in aged care/seniors policy.
  3. Sex & Gender Diversity – implementation of the recommendations of the Australian Human Rights Commission’s “Sex Files” report (www.hreoc.gov.au/genderdiversity).
  4. Mental Health – recognising LGBTI people as a priority population group in mental health policy and programs.
  5. Preventative Health – recognising LGBTI people as a priority population group in the preventative health and women’s health policies and programs.
  6. Anti-Discrimination – introduction of federal anti-discrimination laws to protect Australians from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

“LGBTI and other sexuality, sex and gender diverse Australians have for decades experienced inequality and exclusion.  We call on all political parties to continue the process of achieving full equality for LGBTI Australians and to support us to repair the harms done by stigma & discrimination and achieve health for all” said Gabi Rosenstreich, Alliance Executive Director.

Open a pdf version of this media release.

Read the op ed commentary by the Alliance Executive Director published in the City Voice newspaper just before the election announcement: Silent Partners No More