We want to be properly counted and considered in public policy making.
LGBTIQA+ South Australians are frequently not considered in policy development and law reform.
On an individual level, this serves to invalidate the experiences of LGBTIQA+ people and perpetuate feelings of invisibility for our communities.
On a systems level, this systematically erases LGBTIQA+ identities and means we’re left behind when policies, laws and services are planned.
Having a seat at the table and a voice in decisions that affect us is a high priority for over 75% of people surveyed in our Vision for SA Pride 2030, especially First Nations, intersex and older folk who’ve experienced erasure and invisibility in public policy.
We need our government to:
- Improve the representation of LGBTIQA+ communities in government strategies & services.
- Count our identities properly when collecting data and statistics.
Position statements
What’s happening on this issue?
Census 2026
We need to count all LGBTIQA+ Australians in our 2026 national Census. In August 2024 the federal government announced that it would not be changing the topics for the next census, despite the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) including gender,…
SA Govt releases guide on collecting data about gender
LGBTIQA+ people, especially trans and gender diverse people, are often not counted in government statistics and our identities aren’t respected when we access government services. Even our latest 2021 Census failed to properly collect crucial data about LGBTIQA+ communities. This…
Read our submissions to represent LGBTIQA+ South Australians in public policy
ABS 2026 Census Consultation Submission
We note that the Australian Bureau of Statistics has a “Standard for Sex, Gender, Variations of Sex Characteristics and Sexual Orientation Variables, 2020 (“2020 Standard”)“, however this data did not form part of the 2021 Census. As a result, LGBTIQA+…
State Disability Action Plan
Unfortunately at the current time, members of the LGBTQIA+ community are not a priority target of the state disability inclusion plan. This results in a lack of explicit consideration of our communities’ needs within the design, development and evaluation of…
Submission: South Australia’s Outcomes Framework for Children and Young People
South Australia’s Outcomes Framework for Children and Young People aims to help our youngest citizens to start well, grow strong and experience a good life. By reporting data we can all see where efforts are needed to improve outcomes. The…
Submission re: SALHN Community Engagement Strategy
Read our submission on the SALHN Community Engagement Strategy 2021-2024 Southern Adelaide Local Health Network (SALHN) recently sought community input on their Community Engagement Strategy 2021-2024. SARAA made a submission outlining how SALHN can engage with LGBTIQA+ people to reach…
LETTER: LGBTIQA+ inclusion in the South Australian Public Sector
Joint letter by Read our letter here Read the Minister’s response here In 2021, our LGBTIQA+ Community Advisory Group made a number of recommendations related to LGBTIQA+ inclusion in the workplace. They shared both positive experiences of inclusion, for example…
LGBTIQA+ people in domestic & family violence law reform
In September 2021, the Attorney-General’s Department proposed a draft Criminal Law Consolidation (Abusive Behaviour) Amendment Bill 2021 to strengthen domestic violence laws by criminalising coercive and controlling behaviour against current or former intimate partners. This would create new criminal offences with maximum…
SA Govt releases guide on collecting data about gender
LGBTIQA+ people, especially trans and gender diverse people, are often not counted in government statistics and our identities aren’t respected when we access government services. Even our latest 2021 Census failed to properly collect crucial data about LGBTIQA+ communities. This…
Our Housing Future
In 2019, the SA Housing Authority sought feedback on the development of the state’s housing, homelessness and support strategy. You can read our submission on the strategy here. The Our Housing Future 2020-2030 strategy is available here.
The Way Forward: LGBTIQ Report
In 2014-16, the Department for Communities and Social Inclusion developed the South Australian Strategy for the Inclusion of LGBTIQ People. In 2018, the South Australian Government released The Way Forward: LGBTIQ Report to provide a snapshot of the achievements toward…
SUBMISSION TO WAY FORWARD REPORT CONSULTATION
The SARAA Board provided feedback to recent consultation following the SA Government’s release of the ‘The Way Forward: LGBTIQ Report’. Some of our key recommendations included continued support for the Safe Schools Anti-bullying Initiative, development of a new LGBTIQ social inclusion…