This article was originally published by the Star Observer. You can find the original article here.
Independent Member for Sydney Alex Greenwich has said he is “deeply disappointed” that the LGBTIQA+ Equality Bill has been delayed again.
The NSW Equality Legislation Amendment (LGBTIQA+) Bill 2023 was slated for debate in Parliament today, but has now been rescheduled for later in the year.
Greenwich introduced the bill, which seeks to amend the state laws that continue to discriminate against members of the LGBTIQA+ community, into NSW Parliament in August last year. You can find more details about the bill Alex Greenwich introduced here.
Ever since, there has been continual delays, and various opposition to the bill’s contents.
There has been considerable pushback from religious groups which believe the amendments in the bill, which would stop private religious schools from being able to fire and expel LGBTQI+ staff and students, constitute ‘religious discrimination’.
Alex Greenwich has kindly provided Star Observer with his speech about the delays, to publish in full.
by Independent Member for Sydney, Alex Greenwich:
I’m deeply disappointed in the government for forcing this further delay on the LGBTIQA+ Equality Bill.
The most worrying aspect of this delay, is that it is being done knowing the negative impact it will have on people and families across NSW.
The government’s own stats are clear:
The NSW LGBTIQ+ Health Strategy found 57 percent of the LGBTQ+ population experienced high or very high levels of psychological distress compared to 13 percent of the rest of the population. The highest levels of distress are among trans and gender diverse people.
LGBTIQA+ people experience higher rates of depression, anxiety and suicidality, with a quarter experiencing suicidal thoughts in New South Wales.
They are more likely to experience social exclusion, verbal abuse, harassment, physical violence and sexual assault.
The experiences of young LGBTIQA+ young people are especially dire.
The health strategy found over half of LGBTQ+ high school students in New South Wales felt unsafe at school due to their sexuality or gender identity.
The NSW Advocate for Children and Young Person’s 2022 report on The Voices of LGBTQIA+ Young People in NSW found widespread experiences of homophobia and transphobia. 45 percent did not feel safe or supported, 40 percent experienced bullying or discrimination recently and a quarter experienced some kind of physical violence at school.
The government’s inability to make a decision, is sending the message, whether you like it or not, that LGBTIQA+’s people dignity, work, and identity is not a priority.
I think of Charlotte, who loved her job as a music teacher. She lost her job when the school found out that she was in a relationship with a woman. The school even wrote in her stand down letter to stop work: “your engagement in a same-sex relationship is a breach of your employment contract.” We are allowing these McCarthy-era invasions into peoples private lives to occur today in NSW.
I think of Carlie, who tells me her my daughter shouldn’t have to move through life with having to create narratives, out herself unwillingly, answer unnecessary questions, or be rushed into medical interventions just so that she can have legal documentation that represents her identity.
I think of the families living in legal limbo, gay and straight, just because they engaged in a legal and regulated surrogacy process overseas to have a family.
I think of the sex workers, who have to decide whether to work or care for an elderly parent, because in NSW we make it illegal to do both.
These are the real life problems my bill fixes.
Let’s make it clear, today we are delaying dignity to the LGBTQ community, because of the government has not yet decided whether our value as citizens is equal or not.
In his speech on the apology for the criminalisation of homosexuality, the Premier said:
“As a government, we know that we are not there yet. There are kids today who feel like they have something to hide, maybe from their schoolmates, sporting teams, families and friends, and maybe even from themselves. The member for Sydney is currently progressing his equality bill, and we will work with him in good faith and with a shared ambition to help vulnerable people. In the end, true progress is not measured only in laws passed or statutes amended. It is measured in the lives of people, in how we treat each other and in how free we feel to be ourselves in our communities.”
I have always been able to trust the Premier at his word, and along with the rest of the cross bench we hope that continues.
I am grateful for the coalition and crossbench, for their respectful and caring consideration of this legislation and for the support the legislation has received from Rainbow Labor, DV NSW, the AMA, the PSA, the Nurses and Midwives Association, the Teacher’s Federation and countless other representative organisations.
I will remain open minded to compromise and negotiate with the government, and all colleagues.
And I ask the Premier, to have an open heart for families that may not look like his, but still deserve the same dignity, safety and respect. Certainly much more than they are getting today in this place.
