Rainbow Territory 2020 NT Election Asks reflect our law and policy reform platform during the 2014 – 2020 period and the responses from over 100 Territorians to our 2020 election survey.

As Rainbow Territory did for the 2016 NT election, we have invited major parties and independents to respond to these asks.

Responses will be published on social media for the community to consider when placing their vote.

What we want done (asks)

ASK 1: LGBTIQ law reforms

ASK 2: LGBTIQ health and social services policy and service delivery reforms

LGBTIQ responsive and inclusive service delivery principles for health and social services

LGBTIQ mental health and suicide prevention services

  • Under the NT Suicide Prevention Strategic Framework 2018-2023, fund programs to address the mental health and suicide prevention needs of LGBTIQ people in urban, rural and remote NT. From the LGBTIQ community, priority should be given to young LGBTIQ people and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTIQ people.
  • In 2021, publish a halfway progress report of actions commenced specific to LGBTIQ communities across all three goals of the NT Suicide Prevention Strategic Framework 2018-2023.

Create responsive and accountable health and social services that are informed by LGBTIQ Territorians

  • By the end of 2020, publish a halfway progress report of outcomes from the NT Health Inclusion Strategy Plan of actions 2019 – 2022 Respecting People with Diverse Sexualities and Gender Diversities.
  • By the end of 2021,
    • develop and fund programs to upskill mainstream general practitioners, and other health and social service providers to respond to the needs of diverse communities of LGBTIQ people across the NT, including regional and remote centres and communities;
    • develop and maintain an online directory of health and social services in the NT who have received training in responding to the needs of diverse communities of LGBTIQ people across the NT.
  • Commit Territory funding towards LGBTIQ specialist health services that are not supported by Federal funding, including costs of accessing interstate services not available in the NT, such as gender-affirming support, treatment and surgeries.
  • Expand eligibility of the Patient Assisted Travel Scheme (PATS) to enable LGBTIQ Territorians living in remote and regional centres and communities to access specialist general practitioner services in Darwin.
  • Include conditions in all funding contracts between the NT Government and health and social services that providers will not discriminate based on the gender identity or sexuality of staff and people accessing the service.

ASK 3: Corrections and justice reforms

Places of detention are safe for LGBTIQ Territorians

  • Publish all existing policies to which trans and gender diverse people are subject in NT correctional facilities and places of detention.
  • In consultation with trans and gender diverse communities in the NT, review existing policies to which trans and gender diverse people are subject, in NT correctional institutions or other places of detention such as mental health inpatient units, quarantining facilities and asylum seeker accommodation.
    • Prioritise reviewing diversion from incarceration and detention, safety and wellbeing while in detention, and the use of solitary confinement as a last resort.
    • Implement recommendations of the review.
  • Repeal mandatory sentencing laws.

Ask 4: Respond to violence experienced by LGBTIQ Territorians

LGBTIQ safe policing

  • Establish LGBTIQ police liaison officers, such as the Victoria Police program, in Alice Springs, Darwin, Katherine and Tennant Creek.

LGBTIQ safe Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence (DFSV), emergency accommodation and other residential services

  • In line with action 2.2 of The Northern Territory’s Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Reduction Framework 2018- 2028 Action Plan 1, commit funding to research determinants of DFSV for LGBTIQ Territorians.
  • Review existing DFSV services for LGBTIQ safety and accessibility, in particular for trans and gender diverse DFSV survivors. Implement the recommendations of the review.
  • Review existing youth and adult emergency accommodation and other residential services for LGBTIQ safety and accessibility, in particular for trans and gender diverse people. Implement the recommendations of the review.

Northern Territory schools are safe for LGBTIQ students and staff in line with the Northern Territory’s Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Reduction Framework 2018-2028 Action Plan 1 actions 1.1d, 1.2d and 2.1e.

  • Using the NT Social and Emotional Learning resources, all students in NT government and non-government schools are educated so that they understand gender and sexuality diversity, can identify respectful and disrespectful relationships, know how to respond to and prevent gender identity and or sexuality based bullying.
  • Develop and implement a gender and sexuality diversity policy for all NT government and non-government schools.

ASK 5: Provide NT LGBTIQ communities with funding and in-kind support to connect with each other, prioritising regional and remote centres and communities, young people, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

ASK 6: Advocacy for federal law and policy reform

NT Government to advocate for LGBTIQ communities on a federal level

  • Advocate for the inclusion of LGBTIQ people in the Census.
  • Call for the federal Religious Discrimination Bill 2019 to be abandoned.

What political parties have said they will do (responses to asks)

As of 11 August 2020:

  • Country Liberal Party – no response received
  • Territory Alliance – no response received
  • Independent candidates – no responses received

NT Greens response to asks

Territory Labor response to asks

What Labor have done 2016-2020 (report card)

Change is possible with community action

Change is possible! The laws in the NT have changed because of community action.

Mar 2018 – NT changes the law to allow same-sex adoption

Mar 2018 – NT makes historic apology to LGBTQI community and brings in expungement historical criminal records for homosexual convictions

Nov 2018 – NT changes the law to allow birth certificate changes to be more trans inclusive

And of course, changing of the Marriage Act to allow same sex couples to get hitched!