The Greater Bendigo City Council has endorsed the City’s first LGBTIQA+ Inclusion Action Plan and is also believed to be the first local government to formally endorse the Victorian Government’s Rainbow Ready Roadmap.
The City’s LGBTIQA+ Inclusion Action Plan provides a clear and achievable plan to guide its commitment to lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse, intersex, queer/questioning and asexual people in our community. While the Victorian Government’s Rainbow Ready Roadmap is a set of resources for Victoria’s rural and regional communities to build LGBTIQA+ inclusion.
Greater Bendigo Mayor Cr Andrea Metcalf said the LGBTIQA+ Inclusion Action Plan sets out 46 actions the City will undertake over the next two years to support safe and welcoming events and activities that increase inclusion.
“The plan aims to strenghten partnerships to advocate for improved health and wellbeing, and address issues, gaps and opportunities that LGBTIQA+ people have identified are important to them,” Cr Metcalf said.
“In Greater Bendigo approximately 5,700 people or 5.8 per cent of the adult population have identified as LGBTIQ+.
“The plan’s actions aim to address the different needs of younger and older LGBTIQA+ people, of rainbow families, of trans and gender diverse people, and LGBTIQA+ people from multicultural backgrounds.
“This is important because we want to create a safe, welcoming, and fair community for our LGBTIQA+ residents and their families. The actions will assist our LGBTIQA+ communities to be supported and connected and have a sense of belonging in Greater Bendigo.
“The plan will also support the City to provide an inclusive workplace for LGBTIQA+ employees and volunteers.”
The plan’s actions are aligned to the City’s Healthy Greater Bendigo Plan’s five priority areas – healthy and well, able to participate, connection to culture and community, safe and secure and liveable. It is also aligned with the Council Plan, 2021-2025 Mir wimbul, the Municipal Health and Wellbeing Plan 2021-2025 and the City of Greater Bendigo Social Justice Framework (2022-2032)
The plan will be officially launched at an event taking place at 4.30pm Thursday December 7, 2023, at Yo Bendigo, 45 Mundy Street Bendigo.