Transgender Day of Remembrance

19 November 2009
On November 20th each year we pay our respects to sex and gender diverse people around the world who have been murdered. The Tasmanian Council for Sexual & Gender Diverse People Inc. (TCS&GDP) calls on its member organisations to honour those who have been killed, but also a calls for an end to the transphobia that damages and ends so many people's lives.

"The Day of Remembrance is also a reminder of the incredible strength and resilience of so many sex and gender diverse people in the face of continuing discrimination," said Jo Goodman, President of the Council. In a society where transphobic discrimination and violence is so prevalent, current regulations that make it impossible for many sex and gender diverse people to obtain identity documentation reflecting their lived identity, making these people even more vulnerable to violence. Provisions to recognise a change of legal sex identification are inconsistent across states and territories, but all require surgical intervention to alter reproductive organs.

The TCS&GDP calls for a 'Gender Agenda' in the State, which will allow trans people who don't want or can't have 'sex affirmation' surgery to achieve legal change of sex identification in a process that respects them. Without this respectful process, transgender people who require, but are without, this documentation are 'outed' every time they need to show it, as well as a whole range of other implications. Other jurisdictions, such as the UK, recognise a change of sex without the requirement of such surgery.
 

Law change means civil celebrants will be able to register relationships

Community input sought for national campaign

23 September 2009
TasCAHRD and Working it Out are seeking members of the GLBTI community to participate in 2 focus groups for an important forthcoming national campaign. Researchers would like to hear from gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender people about issues affecting same-sex couples. It doesn't matter if you are in a relationship or you're not. However, it would be great if we can get a cross section of the community.

Sessions will be conducted in the Burnie and Hobart areas.
Burnie:  6:00pm on Monday  5th of October  2009
Hobart:  6:00pm on Tuesday 6th of October 2009

Sessions will be structured and jointly facilitated by Kevin Marriott and Susan Ditter. Groups are limited to 10 participants so it is important to register your interest before 11am on the 2nd of October. If you are interested in taking part or finding out more please call TasCAHRD on 6234 1242 or send an email to: kmarriott@tascahrd.org.au
 

University of Queensland releases preliminary report on GLBTI research

22 September 2009
The University of Queensland has released preliminary findings from its research project entitled Not So Private Lives. A full report is expected to be available in November 2009, but you can download the preliminary report by clicking here and then on the link in the window that opens.
 

Social Inclusion Commissioner releases report

21 September 2009
Professor David Adams today presented Premier David Bartlett with Tasmania’s first Social Inclusion Strategy. The strategy highlights the factors that increase the chances of social exclusion and presents a summary of considerable research and evidence that is relevant to Tasmania. It sets out ten strategies through which a significant difference can be made to the wellbeing and prosperity of all Tasmanians at risk of social exclusion; each strategy having a set of possible actions attached.

The State Steering Committee of the Coming Out Proud Program presented a submission to the Commissioner that indicated areas of exclusion for the sexually & gender diverse community in Tasmania and made innovative recommendations to address the issues at local and regional levels. The Report does reference the COPP submission and includes some of the recommendations.

The report, consultation paper and details of the community forums which were held can be downloaded from the Social Inclusion Unit's homepage by clicking here.
 

ACON seeks input to drug and alcohol resource for the GLBTI community

4 September 2009
The AIDS Council of NSW (ACON) is developing a print resource for people in the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community who are affected by another person’s drug or alcohol use, and they need community input to ensure that the resource contains the kinds of information that people will find useful.

They are setting up an advisory committee, which will meet in Sydney on four occasions in the course of the next year. However, if you are unable to attend the meetings but would still like to contribute to the resource, they would also love to hear your ideas. The contact for this project is Tarnia Thompson - phone: 02 9206 2047 or click here to email her.
 

Corey Peterson to stand for Hobart City Council

31 August 2009
Corey Peterson, who is a member of the COPP Community Liaison Committee for Greater Hobart, is to stand for election to the Hobart City Council in October this year.

Corey was interviewed about his reasons for running by TasPride Magazine. To access a copy of the article click here.

Corey is keen that people register with the Electoral Commission to vote, and this must be done by Thursday 17 September. Click here to access the Electoral Commission site. Voting forms are posted out and must be returned by Monday 26 October. Anyone who lives in the Hobart City Council area is eligible to register and vote, and if you own a business in the HCC area you get to vote for Corey twice!

Feedback sought on Centrelink's Same Sex campaign

21 August 2009
An independent social research company called Urbis has been contracted by Centrelink to evaluate the advertising campaign that was run in the lead-up to the implementation of the Same Sex reforms. They have had a reasonable number of responses from community members in NSW, Victoria and Queensland, but we have just been informed that they would like more feedback from people in the other States.

The online survey will be open until 9am on Monday, 24 August, and can be accessed by clicking here.
 

Huon Valley Council supports COPP

10 August 2009
Following the successful conciliation of a complaint that Julian Punch made to the Local Government Association of Tasmania, Huon Valley has formally recognised the Coming Out Proud Program and appointed Councillor Tony Richardson as its representative on the Kingborough/Huon Community Liaison Committee. To download a copy of Council's press release (JPG, 204KB), which was published in the local newspaper, click here.
 

Labor Conference rejects changes to the Marriage Act

1 August 2009
The National Conference of the Australian Labor Party has rejected efforts by the party's Left faction to make changes to the Federal Marriage Act that would recognise gay marriage or civil unions between same-sex partners. The Attorney-General, Robert McLelland, made it clear that there would be no "legislative or other action that in any way undermines the institution of marriage, which is defined as being between a man and a woman". The conference voted instead for the development of a national system to recognise gay relationships. This is likely to be rely on State legislation in relation to civil unions, such as that currently in place in Tasmania and the ACT. In accepting the resolution, Anthony Albanese, leader of the Left faction, observed that "As those great political philosophers Jagger and Richards said: sometimes you can't always get what you want, but you get what you need." He indicated that the Left would continue to advocate for Federal recognition of gay marriage. To access the related news item on the ABC site, click here.

The ABC site also has an excellent article on gay marriage, written by Carol Johnson, in its Unleashed section. To access the article and the discussion arising from it, click here.
 

COPP proceeds with incorporation

29 July 2009
After four years of work, the members of the Coming Out Proud State Steering Committee are looking to their replacement. This will be accomplished by incorporating a Tasmanian (GLBTI) Council for Sexually and Gender Diverse People. The Association will aim to establish common purpose and intent for the sexually and gender diverse Tasmanian community that will allow GLBTI people to ‘come out with pride’ and live in the community as fully respected and participating members.

The Association will initially incorporate the work of local and regional LGBTI Community Liaison Committees and represent their interests at State and National levels. This through the development of consultative and coordinated local, regional and State management plans (excluding the provision of services).

Nominations are called for a small executive of gender balanced positions of President, Deputy President, Treasurer, Secretary and Public Officer. Nominations will close on Sunday 30 August. It is stressed that the positions are voluntary, and the only commitment of time and energy required is what people are able to spare. An Executive Officer works full time to execute and support the Council's work.
 

Channel/Huon LGBTI Tourism Forum

29 July 2009
COPP Kingborough/Huon Community Liaison Committee conducted a Channel/Huon LGBTI Tourism Forum on Wednesday 22 July at the Huon LINC Building. The objective of the forum was to develop a ‘Gay Friendly’ tourism market in the Huon/Channel region.

The meeting, attended by twenty people from local tourism industry organisations, was convened to design strategies to position the Huon/Channel regions as desirable, “gay-friendly” destinations and to increase the number of GLBTI people who visit the regions. Additional strategies were designed to engender industry development support for ‘gay’ entrepreneurs involved in tourism and associated markets.

The initial strategy endorsed by the tourism organisations and representatives was to develop and conduct an audit to indicate the potential of the 'gay market' in the region and how this market can be 'grown'.
 

COPP makes submission on Residential Aged Care

University of Queensland conducting survey of same-sex attracted Australians

16 July 2009
The University of Queensland is conducting a national online survey of GLBTI people, entitled Not So Private Lives. The aim of the survey is to offer a positive and unique contribution to the growing body of research on the lives of sexual minorities in Australia and ultimately help provide a more effective means of communication between people differing in sexual orientation.

The survey is anonymous and comprehensive and can be completed at any time before midnight on Friday 14 August. It should  probably take no more than half an hour to complete. To access the survey, click here.
 

COPP makes submission to Inquiry into Marriage Equality Amendment Bill

15 July 2009
The Coming Out Proud Program State Steering Committee has made a submission to the inquiry by the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs into the Marriage Equality Amendment Bill 2009. Julian Punch explained that the submission asserts that, as a minority group, the incidence of health and well being issues - including self harm and suicide - is at a substantially higher level in the sexually and gender diverse community than in other sections of the community. Mr Punch said that "there is a strong connection between discrimination/inequality and poor social/wellbeing indicators for the LGBTI community. Establishing equality in all things will restore our community to wellbeing. Establishing equality at law in relation to the Marriage Act 1961 will restore our community to mainstream equality through respect for our relationships and contribute to improvements in the LGBTI national health and well being indicators."
 

Article on Apology by Hobart City Council

9 July 2009
Corey Peterson has made available a copy of the article he wrote for The TasPride/GLC Newsletter on the apology which the Lord Mayor of Hobart delivered in December 2008 for the Council's actions twenty years earlier in Salamanca. To download a copy of the article (PDF, 1.4MB) click here.
 

GLBTI Friendly Tourism Search to be conducted in Huonville

6 July 2009
The Kingborough/Huon Valley Community Liaison Committee will be brainstorming Rainbow People Friendly Marketing Tourism in the Southern Regions of Tasmania at a meeting to be held in the Huon LINC building on Wednesday 22 July, commencing at 6:30pm.

Issues to be brainstormed at the meeting will include:

• What ways can we use to bring people together?
• Marketing strategies and outlets
• 'Gay friendly' signage and celebrations
• 'Gay friendly' / 'Gay owned'
• Funding & support

Rita Warrener of Tourism Tasmania and Scott Dufty of the Huonville Business Enterprise Centre will be at the meeting, as well as some other key tourism operators. Your input to the discussion would be greatly appreciated and beneficial to the whole community.

Huon LINC is situated on the corner of Skinner Drive. You can download a flyer (PDF, 77KB) by clicking here. If you would like to attend the meeting, please RSVP to Jo by clicking here or to Brian by clicking here.
 

Church has concerns about Flamingos re-opening in new venue

6 July 2009
COPP is supporting the licensing and council permit applications by Flamingos Bar to re-open at 201 Liverpool St, Hobart and re-establish itself as the social hub for the GLBTI community in Tassie. Everything was going well with the applications until the leaders of the neighbouring Hobart City Church of Christ expressed concerns and said that they would need to consider making a submission to the Hobart City Council.

Pastor Marshall Muller met with Flamingo's owner, Gary Qulliam, and explained that the church was already dealing with a range of problems caused by the behaviour of patrons of other bars operating in the vicinity - including violence, vandalism, graffiti and vomit on the church premises. Gary explained that the new venue would exclusively cater to the GLBTI community and their friends and families, and that the church should not presume that the patrons of Flamingos would engage in antisocial behaviours. COPP supports Flamingos in its provision of a safe environment where GLBTI people can meet and socialise, and is confident that its patrons will be respectful of church property.

Gary Quilliam has asked members of COPP and the League of Gentlefellows to email Pastor Muller - with a courtesy copy to Elizabeth Wilson at the Hobart City Council - supporting the current applications and assuring him from their own experience that the behaviour of the Flamingo's patrons will be civilised. The email addresses are as follows:

• Pastor Marshall Muller: marshallmuller@netspace.net.au
• Ms. Elizabeth Wilson:   wilsone@hobartcity.com.au

COPP discusses Suicide Prevention with Health bureaucrats

6 July 2009
The Coming Out Proud State Steering Committee met recently with Dr John Crawshaw - Chairperson of the Tasmanian Suicide Prevention Committee - and Mr Nick Goddard - Director Mental Health (DHHS). The purpose of the meeting was to seek some understanding as to how the recommendations - contained in COPP's submission to the State Wide Consultation on Suicide Prevention in Tasmania - will be progressed.

Concern was expressed that the initial report from the State Wide Suicide Prevention Consultation does not respond to the detailed recommendations contained in the COPP Submission. Concern was also expressed about the State Government's position of low concern for the LGBTI community as regards the incidence of suicide and self harm expressed at the recent National Suicide Prevention Conference. This is at odds with findings by the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society that:

• Up to 31 percent of gay people suffered anxiety disorders and depression compared with between 4 and 14 per cent of heterosexuals; and
• 17 percent of young gay women had tried to harm or kill themselves in the previous six months, compared with 2 per cent of straight women.

The meeting was positive in progressing the concern of the COPP State Steering Committee to work closely with the State Suicide Prevention Committee in improving the situation for our community. It was stressed that COPP can assist through its four regional Community Liaison Committees, as well as using the extensive database of contact people in an evaluative and consultative model for assessing promotion and prevention strategies with members of the sexually- and gender-diverse community. COPP has also expressed concern to the Minister, Lara Giddings, that the Tasmanian sexually- and gender-diverse community has not been included in the consultation paper 'Your Care Your Say' - the DHHS Consumer Engagement Strategy.
 

NSW Greens call for an end to discrimination spin-off of Same-Sex Reforms

1 July 2009
NSW Greens MP Lee Rhiannon has called on the Federal Government to show compassion to same-sex couples who will be financially disadvantaged by the changes introduced today by the Same-Sex Reforms. To view the text of her media release (PDF, 52KB), click here.
 

Gays 'ignored' by beyondblue

28 June 2009
An article in today's Sunday Age has highlighted neglect by beyondblue - the national depression initiative - of the high rates of suicide, self-harm and neglect among GLBTI people. This is despite findings from recent research, commissioned by beyondblue, which found that:

• up to 31 per cent of gay people suffered anxiety disorders and depression compared with between 4 and 14 per cent of heterosexuals; and
• 17 per cent of young gay women had tried to harm or kill themselves in the previous six months, compared with 2 per cent of straight women.

To view the article, click here.
 

Survey reveals most Australians in favour of same-sex marriage

16 June 2009
The Age has reported that a poll, conducted for Australian Marriage Equality, has found that 60 percent of Australians are in favour of same-sex partners being allowed to marry and that overseas gay and lesbian marriages should be recognised in Australia.

The survey, which involved 1,100 respondents, found strong support for same-sex marriage even among coalition voters, with 50 percent in favour. Support among Labor voters was 64 percent and support among Greens voters was 82 percent. Support was lower among men, at 51 percent, than among women, at 65 percent. Support was also stronger among younger people, with 74 percent of those aged 16 to 24 in favour, than among those aged over 50, at 45 percent.

Australian Greens leader Senator Bob Brown, who is openly gay, used the survey results to urge the Rudd government to offer same-sex couples more than civil unions. "We're discriminated against under the marriage laws," he told reporters in Canberra, adding a Centrelink advertisement prompting equal benefits for same-sex couples was misleading. "The Australian people are way ahead of the Rudd government and the Turnbull opposition."
 

Confidential and 'without prejudice' information on Same Sex changes

• Centrelink provides a Financial Information Service, whose staff provide free and confidential advice
  'without prejudice' - that is, they are not involved in the assessment of client entitlements.  Click here to their web page or call 13 2300 to speak to an FIS officer - you can make an appointment to discuss complex issues.
  
  
• For those LGBTI couples who require independent legal professional 'right of appeal' or who would prefer an alternative support to Centrelink, advice is available from the following regional Community Legal Centres:
  
  * Hobart: 6223 2500 Noelle Rattray and Chris Rice
  * Launceston: 6334 1577 Gary Bissland
  * North-West: 6424 8720 Chris Young

Julian Punch lodges Anti-Discrimination Complaint against Commissioner for Children

25 May 2009
In a press release today, Julian Punch - State Coordinator COPP - announced that he has lodged an anti-discrimination complaint against the Commissioner for Children, Paul Mason. Mr Punch feels that the draft Tasmanian Charter of Rights for Young People in care makes inadequate provision for the rights of sexually- and gender-diverse young people. This in turn exposes these young people to attempts by Christian carers to place them in "conversion programs" to address their "deviant and decadent natures".

To view and download a copy of the press release (PDF, 60KB), click here.
 

COPP Trust presents workshop at Suicide Prevention Conference

13 May 2009
COPP presenters Dr Stephen Edwards - a medical practitioner in the Huon Region - and Julian Punch - State Coordinator COPP - presented a structured and interactive workshop at the national Suicide Prevention Conference which was held in Hobart on the 28th and 29th of April.  Conference participants were from relevant stakeholder groups including vulnerable population groups.  Peter Smith - of the Gay & Lesbian Switch Board - and Donald MacDonald - Chair of the Greater Launceston COPP Community Liaison Committee - also attended the conference and collaborated in representing the interests of the sexually- & gender-diverse communities interests.

The thirty-minute workshop was well received by the conference and explored the contention that, as a minority group experiencing discrimination, the incidence of health and well being issues, including self harm and suicide, is at a substantially higher level in the sexually- and gender-diverse community than in other sections of the community.  These factors and issues were then considered in the design of successful prevention and cultural awareness strategies at local and regional levels.  The conference presented an opportunity for the COPP Trust to announce the allocation of $2,000 for four regionally-developed projects in community-based GLBTI suicide prevention strategies. The workshop presented an opportunity to start to engender collaboration with special and mainstream providers, and initiate suicide prevention strategies at the local and regional levels for sexually- and gender-diverse people.