The Victorian Government values and celebrates diversity. It affirms the right to equality, fairness and decency for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ+) Victorians, and is committed to removing discrimination from Victorian laws, services and society.
LGBTIQ+ Taskforce
The LGBTIQ+ Taskforce provides high level, strategic advice to the Minister for Equality and government departments on current and emerging LGBTIQ+ issues and on government policy, programs and services to address those issues. The taskforce works closely with Victoria's Commissioner for LGBTIQ+ Communities to ensure that the government’s equality initiatives are underpinned by genuine community consultation.
Jayde de Bondt, a graduate of the 2018 Victorian LGBTIQ+ Leadership Program and advocate for the inclusion and participation of LGBTIQ+ communities in sport, is the Co-Chair of the Taskforce along with the Minister for Equality.
The Department of Health is represented (ex-officio) at LGBTIQ+ Taskforce meetings by Jodie Geissler, Deputy Secretary, Commissioning and Service Improvement Division.
Full membership details and communiques are available at the LGBTIQ+ Taskforce
Health and Wellbeing Working Group
The role of the Health and Wellbeing Working Group is to:
- provide subject matter advice to the LGBTIQ+ Taskforce and the relevant government departments on matters of government policy, programs and services
- provide subject matter advice to the taskforce on current and emerging LGBTIQ+ issues
- provide advice on other matters referred by the taskforce, or where agreed by the chairperson, to the relevant government department.
The Health and Wellbeing Working Group provides advice on ways to improve the responsiveness of mainstream services to issues faced by LGBTIQ+ people, and to strengthen the critical roles played by community managed health service organisations.
The Health and Wellbeing Working Group also advises the Department of Health on issues relating to ageing and aged care, alcohol and other drugs, health services, mental health, multicultural issues, public health and health promotion, youth justice and related matters.
Membership
The Health and Wellbeing Working Group is co-chaired by Associate Professor Adam Bourne and Harriet Shing MP, Minister for Equality.
Members of the Health and Wellbeing Working Group are:
- Alexander Bravo
- Marina Carman
- Meaghan Holden
- Rashmi Kumar
- Tara Laursen
- Jemima Mead
- Jo Read
- Simon Ruth.
While members are appointed for their individual skills and experience, they bring to the table a wide range of organisational and community connections.
LGBTIQ+ Taskforce members are ex-officio members of the Health and Wellbeing Working Group. Victoria’s Commissioner for LGBTIQ+ Communities, Todd Fernando also attends the Health and Wellbeing Working Group and co-chairs the Expert Advisory Groups.
Staff from the Priority Population Groups and Communities Unit, Department of Health attend Working Group meetings in an ex-officio capacity representing the department.
The Department of Health provides secretariat support to the Health and Wellbeing Working Group.
Further information can be requested by emailing LGBTIQSecretariat@health.vic.gov.au.
Expert advisory groups
The Trans and Gender Diverse and the Intersex Expert Advisory Groups provide expert advice on issues and specific projects that engage with their communities. The expert advisory groups are made up of community members, clinicians and relevant academics.
The Expert Advisory Groups will focus on key identified projects.
The Intersex Expert Advisory Group is progressing a number of policy directions as part of (i) Am Equal: Future directions for Victoria’s Intersex community, which details the Victorian Government’s commitment to ensuring the delivery of high-quality care and support services to people with intersex variations and their families. This paper was released on 12 July 2021.
More information can be requested by emailing LGBTIQSecretariat@health.vic.gov.au.
Reviewed 25 October 2022