The Labor Party has announced that an Albanese Government will provide dedicated funding to LGBTIQA+ community organisations to employ specialist domestic violence workers.
Shadow Minister for Families and Social Services Linda Burney MP and Shadow Assistant Minister for Communities and the Prevention of Family Violence Senator Jenny McAllister said that the move would ensure LGBTIQA+ people receive appropriate family and domestic violence support.
“LGBTIQA+ people face diverse complexities of gender and violence, which are best addressed through community-based and peer-led organisations already working with LGBTIQ+ people,” they said in a joint statement.
“That is why an Albanese Labor government will fund 15 workers in LGBTIQA+ community organisations to help people experiencing domestic and family violence.
“This means 1,200 people who would have been turned away will now get help at one of the most vulnerable times in their life.
“Every day in [Prime Minister Scott] Morrison’s Australia, people fleeing violence are turned away from accommodation and services because of insufficient funding for sector workers.”
Ministers Burney and McAllister said that the shortfall in support around domestic violence was particularly acute for LGBTIQA+ people.
“For nine years, they have been neglected at every stage of the process – not just in the provision of support services, but also in policy development, frameworks, data collection, and evaluation,” they said.
“An Albanese Labor will fund an additional 500 workers over three years so community organisations can better support people fleeing family violence.
“Leaving a violent family or relationship is the hardest and most dangerous thing that many people will ever do.
“It is even harder when there are further barriers to access services or needs that are not well understood.
“The Morrison–Joyce Government has ignored the LGBTIQA+ community and the services they need completely.
“No one in crisis should be left to fend for themselves.”
The next federal election is set to be held in the first half of 2022.