The City of Stonnington is committed to promoting opportunities for engagement, support, advocacy and partnerships for our LGBTIQA+ community.
In February 2021, Council unanimously passed a Notice of Motion to establish a LGBTIQA+ Advisory Committee and develop a LGBTIQA+ Action Plan for the period from 2021-2025.
The LGBTIQA+ Action Plan is explicitly linked to the Stonnington Health and Wellbeing Plan 2021-2025 which was released in late 2021.
The LGBTIQA+ Action Plan will identify opportunities for Council to work in partnership with local services and groups to increase inclusion, address service gaps and identify opportunities for LGBTIQA+ people and their families to be involved in local community life.
We are inviting LGBTIQA+ people who live, work, study or recreate in the City of Stonnington, as well as their families, allies and local service providers to contribute to the development of our Action Plan.
Findings and insights will inform our future work and how we partner with LGBTIQA+ people, families and communities to influence Council policy, strategy and practice.
The City of Stonnington has sought members for a newly established LGBTIQA+ Advisory Committee. The Committee will act as an advisory mechanism to guide our development as a culturally safe and inclusive organisation. It will also help us become an area free from discrimination based on sexuality, sex or gender.
Stonnington has one of the largest LGBTIQA+ communities in Victoria, including supporters and allies, who help progress equality and fairness for all.
While there are already some initiatives and events held by council, this motion brings them together in a way that encourages an all of council and community approach.
While all parts of the community need to feel safe and included, research shows that gender and sexuality diverse youth face greater risk or physical and mental health hazards than their heterosexual or cisgender peers.
Factors influencing these negative health outcomes include discrimination, harassment and physical harm and lack of family and social support, which culminate in experiences of ‘minority stress’, a unique set of stressors experienced by those on society’s margins.
What the Committee will do
The LGBTIQA+ Committee will use the lived experience, expertise and knowledge of Stonnington’s gender and sexuality diverse communities, Council staff, local organisations and networks of LGBTIQA+ identifying members to:
- inform the development of a LGBTIQA+ Action Plan
- provide advice and feedback on relevant Council policies, plans, programs and services that impact or that may potentially impact LGBTIQA+ identifying people
- identify systemic discrimination and provide advice to Council Officers to assist them to address these issues
- provide LGBTIQA+ identifying people and allies with a forum to voice their concerns, needs, and ideas to Council
- provide Council and other local community-based service providers with an effective channel of communication to reach LGBTIQA+ identifying communities.
- provide advice to Council in relation to effective communication, engagement and consultation with LGBTIQA+ identifying communities.
- strengthen awareness of LGBTIQA+ diversity as aspects of social diversity and understand issues and barriers to equality facing these communities.
Membership
Membership will comprise 13 members including:
- a Councillor (as Chairperson), appointed annually
- four representatives from local organisations and networks that support Stonnington’s LGBTIQA+ community
- four representatives from Stonnington’s business community
- four LGBTIQA+ identifying community members.
All membership positions are voluntary, with meetings to be held quarterly (four times a year).
Council staff will provide support and assistance to the committee and manage administrative tasks such as developing the agenda and taking notes of recommendations resulting from agenda items.
Nominations for the Committee
We have sought representatives that, as far as possible, reflect the diversity of the LGBTIQA+ community. This includes people from a variety of life stages, cultural backgrounds and locations across the municipality, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and people with a disability.
Nominations for the Committee were closed on 16 June. A report was then submitted to council and 11 members were endorsed by council. Nominations were then opened again to fill the remaining vacancy.
All positions on the LGBTIQA+ Advisory Committee have now been filled.
View our Terms of Reference.
Contact 03 8290 1172 if you have any questions about the role of the LGBTIQA+ Committee.