Last week I joined health minister Brad Hazzard to launch the ground-breaking ‘NSW LGBTIQ+ Health Strategy 2022-2027’. We now have a measurable funded whole-of-government plan to improve the health and wellbeing of LGBTIQ+ people.

The plan includes health sector education, data collection and research with the highlight being the plan for a dedicated LGBTQ health centre in Sydney, with statewide services.

During the 2019 state election I secured the government’s commitment to this strategy and I thank Minister Hazzard for his action. The strategy > HERE.

The strategy demonstrates poor health and wellbeing outcomes for many in LGBTIQ+ communities as a result of discrimination and that is why I am starting a process to draft an omnibus ‘Equality Bill’ to remove discrimination across state laws. We have achieved significant reform over the last 40 years but discrimination remains embedded in some laws, preventing us from achieving full equality.

In this bill I hope to ensure access to gender affirming state documentation, end unnecessary medical procedures on people with intersex variations without their consent, remove targeted discrimination including in schools, and ban conversion practices. I will work with stakeholders and colleagues to have a bill ready ahead of the next election and Sydney WorldPride 2023. See The Guardian report > HERE.