To: Candidates in the 2022 federal election
Candidates must commit to queer rights
Federal elections are always the best time to promote causes of national importance. In this case, politicians and candidates should commit to supporting queer rights for students. This includes committing to abolishing the religious discrimination bill which disproportionately affects high school and university students, a full nation-wide ban of conversion therapy and committing to a legislative duty of care for university students. In the past few years the Australian public has shown that they want protections for queer people, but the current federal government continues to discrimination against us. We want a commitment to do better!
Why is this important?
Candidates for the election should commit to ending legalised queerphobia against students and young people. This can be done through three policy changes.
1. The religious discrimination bill was introduced into government in 2022 and passed the House, despite universal opposition from LGBT+ people. It is currently indefinitely suspended in the Senate. This bill should never be considered before parliament again, since it allows religious people and groups to openly discriminate against queer people under the guise of religious beliefs. While queer school students have been often discussed in relation to this bill, many university students are also in a religious environment. These students don't deserve to be discriminated against when they are simply trying to learn. Any attempts at a re-introduction of this bill must be opposed.
2. Conversion therapy must be banned on a federal level. It is ineffective and leaves lasting harm on survivors. There is little research on this practice in Australia, but evidence from UCLA in the US suggests that around 50% of survivors are under the age of 18. Victoria, the ACT and Queensland have already banned this incredibly harmful practice, but this is not enough. Without a federal ban, LGBT+ youth will continue to be put in danger by this practice. It is unconscionable to say that banning human rights abuses is a matter for the states. The federal government must also take action.
3. A legislative duty of care will ensure that queer university students are subject to the same protections as high school students. This is a key ask of the NUS's It's Time For Change campaign and is highly relevant to queer students. Having a duty of care would mean that universities would be required to provide gender neutral bathrooms, to act against queerphobic rhetoric on campus and to take action against sexual assault, which disproportionately affects queer students. It would mean that university administrations are required to make life better for queer students.