Clinicians, community, government and industry delegates agree that person-centred principles should guide the delivery of HIV-related care to ensure the highest attainable standard of health for people living with HIV and people at risk of HIV acquisition.

Religion-based discrimination of LGBTIQ+ people can take many forms. It may involve conversion programs and religious ‘counselling’ practices (i.e. practices that try to change the sexuality or gender identity of LGBTIQ+ people). Unfortunately, these practices still exist in Australia despite extensive evidence about their life-threatening harms (Ryan, 2009).

In the ACT, there is no peak body representing LGBTIQA+ people or organisations providing services to LGBTIQA+ people. The question of whether the ACT needs a peak body for LGBTIQA+ health and wellbeing is one that arises from time to time, including within the Office of LGBTIQ+ Affairs, in the ACT Health Scoping Study, in the commissioning process for peak bodies, and by individual stakeholders. This discussion paper outlines the arguments for and against establishing an LGBTIQA+ peak body in the ACT, and presents some alternative options to establishing a new, separate organisation.

The next National Plan provides an historic opportunity for LGBTIQ people to be meaningfully included in the shared effort to end family, domestic and sexual violence. We are pleased that the Draft National Plan commits to ending all forms of genderbased violence, including ensuring that LGBTIQ people of all genders are safe at home, work, school, in the community and online. However, we are concerned that recent leadership and action in this space has not been adequately reflected and included in the Draft National Plan

We are proud to be working alongside the ACT Government in creating a safe and inclusive city for all Canberrans. Meridian welcomes the commitments of the ACT Labor and ACT Greens policy platforms for the 10th Legislative Assembly that aim to improve the lives of LGBTIQA+ Canberrans, as outlined in the Parliamentary & Governing Agreement: 10th Legislative Assembly.

Meridian is calling on the ACT Government to allocate adequate funding in the 2021/22 budget to implement these commitments.

Peak bodies within community sector play an important role in representing the interests of their members and communities to government, as well as strengthening the capacity of, and fostering collaboration within the sector.

Meridian welcomes the opportunity to contribute this submission to the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability. Meridian offers this independent submission to the Royal Commission, in addition to being a signatory to LGBTIQ+ Health Australia’s submission, to strengthen the points made in their submission, and to represent our Canberra-based organisation’s position and experiences, more specifically. 

Meridian’s Written Submission for the Capital of Equality Second Action Plan Consultation