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  • Submission to the Senate Committee Inquiry into the provision of Palliative Care in Australia

    The Alliance has made a submission to the Senate regarding the provision of palliative care services to LGBTI people.

    We feel that the Senate should specifically consider the needs of LGBTI Australians regarding access and choice in relation to the provision of palliative care. These needs should be considered along side, and similarly to, those of other population groups included in the inquiry terms of reference.

    Our submission recommends that the committee consider aspects of practitioner education, legal documentation and its effects, bereavment care, and recognition for 'families of choice'.

    [Click here to download our full report]

     

  • Alliance Submission on 'Australia's National Human Rights Action Plan 2012'

    We have made a submission to the Attorney-General's department regarding their draft 'Human Rights Action Plan.'

    Building on Yogyakarta Principle #17 (The right to the highest attainable standard of health) the National LGBTI Health Alliance:

    • emphasised the importance of data collection and analysis
    • welcomed the explicit inclusion of gay, lesbian, bisexual, sex and/or gender diverse people in the draft, and
    • endevoured to integrate LGBTI concerns as a basic consideration when developing human rights policy more broadly

    Click here to download a copy of our submission.

     

  • Position Vacant: Project Officer (Policy)

    We have a vacancy for a Project Officer (Policy). The focus for this work is mental health and suicide prevention under contract from the Australian Department of Health and Ageing. Other policy priorities include ageing, and sex and gender diversity. The position is based in Sydney.

    You are an experienced individual highly motivated and with a demonstrated commitment to improve health outcomes, including community development and human rights, for LGBTI people.

    [Click here for a full position description]

    Resources to consider:

    Having read the position description, interested applicants can contact Barry Taylor on email at barry.taylor@lgbtihealth.org.au or phone at (02) 8568 1124 for further information.  Applications close Monday, 27 February 2011.

     

  • Alliance commends changes to Better Access scheme

    The National LGBTI Health Alliance has commended Mental Health Minister, Mark Butler, for reinstating six additional therapy sessions for people referred by their GP.

    “A number of Alliance members had stated their concern that the reduction of sessions to 10 could disadvantage LGBTI and other people”, reported Alliance General Manager, Warren Talbot.

    “It is likely that LGBTI people, being referred by their GP to a psychologist, will have more complex and longer term mental health issues to deal with.The cost of counselling has been identified as a major barrier to people accessing mental health care and that affordable counselling options is essential for improving the mental health status of LGBTI people”

    “The challenge”, Mr Talbot said, “is what will happen in 2013 when the Better Access sessions will again be reduced to only 10.”

    Mr Talbot said that the Alliance supported the Commonwealth’s goals in terms of capacity building for mental health services, but 2013 may not be a realistic timetable.

     

     

  • Concerns re Libra advertisement

    Libra Ad could incite prejudice against Transgender Women

    The Alliance has issued a media Release concerning the recent Libra advertisement.

    The National LGBTI Health Alliance finds the Advertising Standards Bureau determination on the Libra tampon ad regrettable, in not fully understanding the message it sends to the wider community about transgender women.  General Manager of the Alliance, Warren Talbot, said the ad could incite prejudice against the transgender community.

    Click here to read the full Media Release. (PDF)

     

  • National LGBTI Health Alliance comments on Margaret Court

     

    The National LGBTI Health Alliance has stated that Margaret Court’s stated views on gay and lesbian sexuality are misleading and could be dangerous for young people or those uncertain about their sexuality.

    “There is no medical or scientific evidence for the simple view that sexuality is a “choice”, as Ms Court has suggested,” stated Alliance General Manager Warren Talbot.

    “The risk is that people who are uncertain about their sexuality might falsely conclude that they can be ‘cured’ of their homosexuality.  There is no medical evidence for that.

    “The higher rates of suicide among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people indicates that public figures need to be very careful in comments made”, Mr Talbot said.

     

  • '2012 to build on achievements of 2011 for the National LGBTI Health Alliance'

    The National LGBTI Health Alliance celebrates our big achievements from 2011!

    A detailed media release can be downloaded here: .PDF / .DOC

    "Considerable progress was made in priority areas that had been worked on for some time. In the short space of a year, the Alliance has grown from three part-time positions to 5 full-time and one part-time position, and has become involved in many new areas of health promotion for LGBTI Australians", Paul Martin said.

    Highlights of 2011 included:

    - MindOUT! Mental Health and Suicide Prevention project secures significant funding ($1.1m)

    - Funding helps to expand staffing resources

    - Involvement in supporting the first 'Parlimentary Friends of LGBTI' event in Canberra.

    - The LGBTI Ageing Roundtable

    - Contribution to DoHA LGBTI Working Group

  • Call for comment on draft submission to the Attorney-General

     

    The National LGBTI Health Alliance is calling for comments on the draft submission to the AG's Department in response to the Discussion Paper on the Consolidation of Commonwealth Anti-discrimination laws. Comments are due with the Alliance Friday 20 January 2012 at sujay.kentlyn@lgbtihealth.org.au

    The proposed Equality Act is of vital concern to the National LGBTI Health Alliance. Firstly we recognise the need for stronger, clearer, more effective laws against discrimination. Secondly the prejudice underlying and giving rise to discrimination is an important social determinant of health.

     

    The draft submission can be downloaded here. The report was prepared by Jamie Gardiner (Alliance member) and Sujay Kentlyn (Alliance Health Policy Officer).

     

  • Seasons Greetings from the National LGBTI Health Alliance!

    The National LGBTI Health Alliance would like to wish everyone a diverse, safe and happy holiday season!

    This has been a big year in the life of the Alliance and we would especially like to thank our members for their ongoing enthusiasm, knowledge and support.

    Please Note: Our offices will close for business on the 23rd of December 2011 and reopen on 3rd January 2012.

  • LGBTI Health Update - December

    The December edition of the monthly newsletter of the National LGBTI Health Alliance is now available for download here.