Issue - decisions

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.

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