Landmark LGBTIQ survey sets agenda for Tasmanian election

LGBTIQ ELECTION FORUM TO BE HELD ON WED FEB 28TH

More inclusive schools, better training for health professionals, preventing suicide and guaranteeing human rights and discrimination protections are top priorities for LGBTIQ Tasmanians ahead of the state election.

That’s according to a new survey of LGBTIQ community election priorities released today by the Tasmanian Gay Lesbian Rights Group (TGLRG) which is the first of its kind in Australia.

TGLRG spokesperson, Rodney Croome, said,

“There was a strong response to the survey with an even spread or respondents across all demographics, showing the results are representative.”

“The Tasmanian LGBTIQ community is clearly not giving up the fight for equality even though our state returned resounding support for marriage equality.”

“We will take the LGBTIQ community’s priorities to all parties contesting the election seeking pledges of support”.

Survey respondents were asked to rate 30 issues including 22 locally and 8 nationally.

The survey attracted 344 respondents. This is a larger sample than former Tasmanian LGBTIQ surveys. It is also larger than we expected given similar national surveys typically have 3 to 4,000 respondents (which would predict under 100 Tasmanian respondents).

Advocates in other states have expressed their interest in conducting similar pre-election surveys.

The top Tasmanian priorities included:
• Ensuring LGBTI inclusion in schools
• Promoting better mental health for LGBTI people
• Enacting a Human Rights Act and protecting the Anti-Discrimination Act
• Eliminating conversion therapy

The top national priorities included:
• Equality for transgender and intersex people in Medicare
• Repealing LGBTI discrimination exemptions in national law
• National standards for dealing with LGBTI issues in schools
• Removing the gay blood ban

The TGLRG state election candidate forum will be held on Wednesday 28th between 6 and 7.30pm at the Republic Bar in North Hobart.

Candidates from all three major parties will be present to outline their party’s priorities and answer audience questions. The parties will be represented by Liberals, Sue Hickey and Nic Street MP, Labor candidates, Ella Haddad and Alison Standen, and two Green candidates.
TGLRG spokesperson, Rodney Croome