Decision Maker: Council
Decision status: Recommendations Determined
Moved by Councillor Worling, seconded by
Councillor Thompson –
It is resolved that:
(A) Council note:
(i)
in
February 2024, the Lord Mayor hosted a LGBTIQA+ Safety Summit Sydney at Customs
House to help understand and combat the rise in hatred, discrimination, and
abuse we were seeing for our LGBTIQA+ communities;
(ii)
one
year on, we continue to hear of the pain, anguish and sense of abandonment many
in trans and gender diverse communities are feeling – especially in the wake of
the US election result, along with recent decisions made by the Queensland
Government to limit access to gender affirming healthcare (under Directive
QH-HSD-058);
(iii)
our
Opposition Leader has also fuelled anxiety among the trans and gender diverse
community with recent comments about trans sport; and
(iv)
it is
vitally important for the City to show support of our trans and gender diverse
communities, and to combat any misinformation, disinformation and prejudice
which may fuel transphobia and homophobia across our City;
(B)
Council
further note:
(i)
Sydney
has always been a beacon for LGBTIQA+ communities across NSW, Australia and the
world. We are a city with a solid foundation for activism and community
building, the home of Mardi Gras and the host of WorldPride in 2023, and we
will continue to stand unequivocally in support of the trans and gender diverse
community;
(ii)
in NSW,
it is a criminal offence to incite violence based on race, religion or
sexuality under section 93Z of the Crimes Act 1900. But currently inciting
hatred or serious contempt is dealt with under the Anti-Discrimination Act
1977. While it is unlawful, it is not a criminal offence;
(iii)
Council
endorsed the Equality Legislation Amendment (LGBTIQA+) Bill 2023 introduced
into the NSW Legislative Assembly by Alex Greenwich MP; and
(iv)
in
order to address violence, abuse and hatred directed towards LGBTIQA+
communities, governments at all levels must work in partnership with LGBTIQA+
communities and their allies;
(C)
the
Lord Mayor be requested to:
(i)
sign
onto Equality Australia’s #TransEquality and #CountUsIn pledges;
(ii)
write
to the relevant Minister and acknowledge that as of July 2025, there will be
accessible pathways for people to update their gender on their birth
certificates, and there be no delays; and
(iii)
write
to the Minister for Customer Service and request the NSW Government provide an
amnesty on the cost of new birth certificates arising from gender updates; and
(D)
the
Chief Executive Officer be requested to:
(i)
write to the Trans Justice Project, Gender Centre,
AusPATH, Transcend Australia, Twenty10 and Equality Australia to ask what
additional practical support the City can provide the trans and gender diverse
community during this time;
(ii)
approve
a donation of $10,000 from the 2024/25 General Contingency Fund to Trans
Justice Project in recognition of their work in organising the recent hugely
successful National Day of Action to defend and protect trans rights, and of
their leadership role within the queer and gender diverse community;
(iii)
provide
an update before the next Council meeting, via the CEO Update, on the
implementation of community-led safety training for community members, queer
and gender diverse organisations, and Council staff in or near the City of
Sydney Local Government Area, with Rainbow Community Angels and the Inner West
Council, as per the adopted Greens motion at the May 2024 Council meeting; and
(iv)
continue to support new and
existing community-led initiatives to keep all LGBTIQA+ community members safe
and supported.
Carried unanimously.
X113756
Report author: Erin Cashman
Publication date: 17/02/2025
Date of decision: 17/02/2025
Decided at meeting: 17/02/2025 - Council
Accompanying Documents: