Violence against the LGBTQIA+ community is on the rise in Australia. But in the lead-up to the South Australian elections, LGBTQIA+ people are left unprotected.
The news recently has been full of responses to a rise in anti-LGBTQIA+ hate crimes, with NSW rolling out new legislation which toughen penalties for publicly threatening or inciting violence on the grounds of a protected attribute such as sexual orientation or gender identity.
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Ahead of SA’s state election, only the SA Greens are running with an LGBTIQ+ policy platform, which includes removing religious exemptions to anti-discrimination laws, and implementing a Human Rights Act to protect the rights of all South Australians, including the LGBTIQ+ community.
Responding to SARAA’s questions about election priorities, the SA Labor Party did not flag any commitment to anti-discrimination or anti-vilification laws, while the SA Liberals said that these election asks “such as funding, national clinical standards, and broader anti-discrimination protections are federal responsibilities”.
‘The lack of LGBTIQ+ vilification laws in South Australia is a major gap that must be addressed irrespective of who holds office,’ said Alastair Lawrie, Director of Policy and Advocacy at the Justice and Equity Centre to Star Observer.
