(Community Recognition Statement, February 27 2020, Legislative Assembly, NSW Parliament)

On behalf of the Sydney Electorate, I wish to put on record my appreciation of the work of Equality Australia, the leading national advocacy body for LGBTIQ+ rights and ably led by Anna Brown, previously co-chair of the national Yes campaign for marriage equality. Equality Australia works across the political spectrum to inform and educate, to lobby decision makers and to build community momentum for reforms that recognise human rights and empower vulnerable people. They lobby decision makers directly, educate and inform affected communities, and run online campaigns. Equality Australia is working on LGBTIQ+ inclusion in Census data collection and getting correct identity documents for transgender and gender diverse people across the country. Importantly, Equality Australia is focussed now on informing the wider community about the serious risks in the revised federal Religious Discrimination Bill. They are making sure that those affected by the debate about religious freedom know what the exposure bills would mean, and it has never been more important for strategic leadership working within and for LGBTIQ+ communities.