All Tasmanians can be proud that in 2025 our state again took the national lead on LGBTIQA+ equality and justice, but rising discrimination continues to pose a challenge.

Parliament unanimously passed a financial redress scheme for those convicted under Tasmania’s former laws against homosexuality and against cross-dressing.

The new law acknowledges the pain and disadvantage inflicted on those who suffered loss of employment, family and reputation when they were convicted.

It is the first redress scheme for any anti-LGBTIQA+ injustice in Australian history and sets a precedent, including for those drummed out of the military just because they were gay or transgender.

Parliament also unanimously passed a new law against hate motivated-crime that ensures everyone is equally protected.

Previously, the only protection was for those facing racially-motivated crime, but now that has been expanded to cover LGBTIQA+ people, people with disability, members of religious minorities and others.

In a national-first, Tasmania’s hate law allows evidence of hate to be presented from before and after the crime was committed, sending a strong message to those who would harm others.

The Tasmanian Government also released Tasmania’s first ever LGBTIQA+ strategy.

Not to be outdone, several local councils are developing their own LGBTIQA+ action plans including Launceston, Burnie, Glenorchy, Brighton and Hobart.

Some say Tasmania is leading because a progressive cross-bench holds the balance of power in Parliament, or because of the strong position of moderates in the Liberal Party.

But I think it’s more than that.

Tasmania was the last state to decriminalise homosexuality and the debate was most heated and protracted here.

Today’s political leaders, then in their teens and early twenties, looked on in horror at the damage discrimination inflicted on their gay friends and relatives.

Now they are in charge, they are doing all they can to ensure this doesn’t happen to a new generation of LGBTIQA+ Tasmanians.

2026 will continue to present challenges.

Tasmania’s failure to ban conversion practices, despite the deep psychological harm caused by futile attempts to change sexual orientation or gender identity, means we have fallen behind all other states bar WA.

We have also not yet moved to ban unnecessary cosmetic surgeries on intersex infants, despite the recommendations of the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute in 2020.

I’m hopeful both reforms will be introduced in 2026 and will gain majority support from our politicians.

In 2026 we will also need to resolve the impasse over discrimination in Catholic schools and services.

Such discrimination has been prohibited at a state level since 1998 without exception, but in February 2025 the then Catholic Archbishop told a parliamentary inquiry schools are governed by federal law which does allow discrimination.

With Hobart’s publicly-funded Catholic Calvary Hospital taking over Hobart Private a similar issue looms – will Calvary undertake terminations, gender treatments, and IVF services like Hobart Private did, or will it abjure these services and risk breaching the Anti-Discrimination Act?

A new Archbishop offers hope of a more moderate position, but there is a long way to go before LGBTIQA+ people and others can be sure of equal treatment in faith-based organisations.

The biggest challenge in 2026 will be finding ways to reverse rising prejudice against trans and gender diverse people.

It has been inspiring to see Tasmania’s leaders, across the political spectrum, stand up to this rising hate.

But in my experience of successfully changing attitudes to gay and lesbian people, telling personal stories about the damage inflicted by discrimination is the key to change.

My New Year’s Resolution is to encourage as many transgender Tasmanians as possible to tell their stories and to connect them with other Tasmanians keen to listen.

2025 was a year in which great change came from many people working together across the parliament and the community.

I urge LGBTIQA+ Tasmanians, and our families and allies, to take inspiration from the achievements of the year just gone as we face the challenges of the year to come.

Rodney Croome is a spokesperson for Equality Tasmania

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