Geelong council adopts first Rainbow Action Plan

THE City of Greater Geelong unanimously adopted its first Rainbow Action Plan last week, a document that has been more than 18 months in the making.

Speaking at the council’s August meeting on last Tuesday, Cr Emma Sinclair said the plan had been informed by community feedback and responds to “a real community need”.

“We know that close to 10 per cent of Geelong’s adult population identifies as part of the rainbow community, yet we still see really high reports of people feeling unsafe in public spaces or having experience being treated differently because they present in a different way,” she said.

Structured around four key principles — understanding, inclusion, visibility and safety — the plan outlines the 20 actions the city will undertake over the next four years to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for the region’s LGBTQIA+ community.

These actions include a commitment to work with local organisations to identify and provide safe social spaces, embed LGBTIQA+ inclusive language and imagery across council documents and deliver public art projects and include LGBTIQA+ histories and experiences.

“Each of these actions is tied to measurable indictors and progress will be tracked,” Cr Sinclair said.

“We’re really committing to tangible actions, not just words.

“No one is excluded from this plan and together we can make Geelong a place where everyone is not just welcomed but celebrated.”

The city’s latest preventative health survey revealed Greater Geelong’s LGBTIQA+ community frequently experience lower health outcomes than the region’s non-LGBTIQA+ residents.

They are more likely to self-report lower levels of life satisfaction (32 per cent, compared with 20 per cent of non-LGBTIQA+ people), higher levels of psychological distress (33 per cent, compared to 11 per cent) and lived experience of discrimination (32 per cent, compared to 15 per cent).

Cr Elise Wilkinson said it had never been more important to have a clear action plan to support and drive positive change, and celebrated the “rich contributions” a diversity of “gender identities, sexual orientations and lived experiences” brings to the region.

“As we see a rise in hateful commentary and targeted discrimination born from extremist views, it’s important, as your local council, that we are taking clear action.

“We want people to feel that Geelong is a safe and inclusive place to live, work, play and grow.”

Cr Eddy Kontelj also spoke to the plan, sharing his support for initiatives that ensure people feel “welcomed and respected”, but warned against “unintended” consequences that may “alienate and divide” when some actions are executed.