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Capital of Equality Strategy 2019-2023

Summary

In 2019, the ACT Government started the Capital of Equality Strategy. This plan aimed to make Canberra the most inclusive city in Australia for LGBTIQ+ people.

It was the first time the whole government committed to LGBTIQ+ equality, building on the ACT’s promise of social inclusion and human rights. The strategy focused on removing barriers to equality, making services more inclusive, and ensuring equal rights in law and policy.

Key achievements

Here are some key achievements from the past 5 years:

  • The government banned harmful sexual and gender identity conversion practices. Learn more here.
  • The government changed the laws to make it easier for trans and gender-diverse youth to change their name or sex on birth certificates.
  • The government invested in LGBTIQ+ support systems for Canberra’s schools, including the Safe and Inclusive Schools initiative.
  • Funding programs were established for LGBTIQA+ peer-led services, including those for trans, gender-diverse, and intersex communities.
  • The Capital of Equality Grants Program was set up to support innovative initiatives by and for LGBTIQA+ communities.
  • The government supported research on LGBTIQ+ health and barriers to equality. For more information, see LGBTIQ+ Health Scoping Study.
  • Legislation was passed to protect people born with variations in sex characteristics from deferrable medical interventions.
  • A framework was established for better data collection on sex, variations of sex characteristics, gender, and sexuality.
  • The Charter of Rights for Victims of Crime included the requirement for justice agencies to consider and respond to the diverse needs of victims, including in the context of their gender identity, sex, and sexuality. Learn more here.
  • The Discrimination Amendment Act 2023 was passed to better protect equality rights, introducing a duty to eliminate discrimination.

Over the past 5 years, the vision of the Capital of Equality Strategy has become a reality, marked by significant progress and tangible changes. This vision continues today with the new Capital of Equality Strategy 2024-2029.

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