Moved by Councillor Worling, seconded by
Councillor Davis –
It is resolved that Council:
(A)
note:
(i)
a complex
set of factors affecting the experiences of the LGBTIQA+ community, including
an increased risk of depression and anxiety, discrimination, increased
unemployment, and mental health barriers;
(ii)
according
to Beyond Blue Australia, work is a key setting to improve and support mental
health and wellbeing. It can contribute to a person’s sense of purpose, income
and social connection (which extends to life outside the workplace);
(iii)
furthermore,
connectedness with peers and affiliation with a broader LGBTIQA+ community has
been identified as beneficial to those trying to cope with minority stressors;
(iv)
persons
in public life who openly identify as being LGBTIQA+ provide inspiration and
support for LGBTIQA+ people;
(v)
there
is a long history of people identifying as LGBTIQA+ being elected to their
local councils, including the City of Sydney, and to State and Federal
Parliaments;
(vi)
despite
this, there is currently no public platform, network or coalition in Australia
for elected members who openly identify at LGBTIQA+ at a local, state or
federal level. This presents an obstacle for younger queer people to see
themselves in elected positions; and
(vii)
visibility
is power. With greater visibility, more young LGBTIQA+ people may be encouraged
to seek election to their local council and/or State and Federal Parliaments;
and
(B)
endorse
the following motion, which has been submitted for consideration at the
upcoming 2023 Local Government NSW Annual Conference:
Topic: Creating a Network of LGBTIQA+ Councillors
and Their Allies
That
as a first step towards increasing visibility and extending its benefits, Local
Government NSW establish a network of LGBTIQA+ identifying and allied
Councillors.
Carried
unananimously.
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