The Australian federal election takes place on 21 May 2022. 

In March, LGBTIQ+ Health Australia (LHA) launched its 2022 Election Priorities, developed in partnership with our full member organisations.  

LHA identified nine priority areas that focus on changing systems and addressing health and wellbeing disparities amongst LGBTIQ+ communities. Each priority has up to four specific actions. 

To help inform your vote, LHA surveyed the three major parties. On 1 April, we asked for their position on each item and sought a commitment to action. 

LHA would like to acknowledge the members of the LGBTIQ+ Australians Parliamentary Friendship Group, who have continued to advocate for LGBTIQ+ health and wellbeing.  

This report provides a summary, with links to the full responses provided by each Party.

The Greens

The Greens provided a detailed response to all nine priorities in the LHA 2022 Election Priorities.  

Read the full response here.

It includes commitments to: 

• Human rights and equal legal protection, including based on sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or intersex variations. 
• Listening to LGBTIQA+ issues, including a Minister for equality and an LGBTIQA+ Human rights Commissioner. 
• Funding to establish a national LGBTIQA+ health and wellbeing action plan. 
• Improved data collection, including $600,000 funding annually for key research such as Private Lives and Writing Themselves In. 
• $70 million grant funding over four years for LGBTIQ+ community-controlled health organisations. 
• Funding to implement the National LGBTIQ+ Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Strategy and work with the National Suicide Prevention Office. 
• $132 million funding to implement the Darlington Statement and respond to the needs of people with Intersex variations. 
• $30 million to reduce family, domestic and sexual violence experienced by LGBTIQ+ people. 
• $15 million for out of pocket costs associated with gender affirming care. 
• Ensuring voices of LGBTIQA+ people with a disability are central to implementing Royal Commission findings.
• Addressing barriers to aged care services, including funding for LGBTIQ+ community controlled organisations to extend services

Australian Labor Party

Labor provided a broad statement of commitment on a range of LGBTQ+ and human rights issues. 

Read the full response here.

It includes commitments to: 

• Protecting the same human rights, equality, respect and safety for all Australians. 
• An Ambassador for Human Rights to advance rights and protections of minorities, including LGBTIQ+ individuals. 
• Work with LGBTIQ+ Australians and advocates to ensure equality before the law and full access to Medicare for LGBTIQ+ Australians. 
• A grant to LHA to assist with that consultation. 
• A one-off grant to QLife for four permanent team leaders to boost volunteer peer support and increase call answer rates by 10% 
• Accelerated efforts to end HIV transmission. 
• Preventing discrimination against people of faith, protection of students from discrimination, and protecting teachers from discrimination at work.

The Liberal Party

The Liberal Party provided a response to several areas impacting LGBTQ+ health and wellbeing.  

Read the full response here.

It includes commitments to: 

• Collection of statistical data relating to sexual orientation, gender, and intersex status where relevant to the health and welfare of LGBTIQ+ communities.  
• The National Preventative Health Strategy 2021-2030, and highlights that LHA has received funding under the Health Peak Advisory Bodies Programme. 
• Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, including the establishment of 70 new adult Head to Health Centres, and notes $7.33 million over three years funding to LHA for QLife with additional funding to meet the COVID-19 demand. 
• $42.7 million as outlined in the 2022-23 Budget to build on the findings of the National Suicide Prevention Trial. 
• Telehealth as a permanent feature of the primary health care system. 
• Australia’s Primary Health Care 10 year plan, noting that LGBTIQ+ people can face barriers when accessing health care.  
• $1.3 billion in women’s safety initiatives, including $104.4 million to support Our Watch to boost efforts in prevention for LGBTIQ+ people, women with a disability, and migrant women and to develop resources for young people about consent 
• Addressing recommendations of LGBTIQ+ Australians in the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation of People with Disability  
• Implement measures to address the Royal Commission’s findings that diversity should be core business in aged care, including $585.7 million investment in measures to benefit people with diverse characteristics and life experiences

On Thursday 5 May, Patricia Karvelas chaired an election forum with Senator Janet Rice of the Greens, Labor Senator Penny Wong and Liberal Senator Andrew Bragg. This forum was co-hosted by LGBTIQ+ Health Australia, Equality Australia, the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations, and Intersex Human Rights Australia. 

Listen to a podcast of the forum | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify