The Greens measures with the most budget impact are aimed at stabilising the health and wellbeing of the queer and HIV positive communities, such as creating a Medicare Benefits Schedule listing for HIV rapid testing.
These exemptions allow religious hospitals to refuse to employ a gay doctor, faith-based schools to sack a teacher who marries their same-gender partner, and homelessness shelters to refuse a transgender resident. Its plan includes replacing school chaplains with inclusive secular programs, addressing the crisis in housing and homelessness for queer people, and tighter anti-discrimination laws that remove existing religious exemptions. Declaring that in the last year the queer community faced discrimination and a fear-mongering campaign led by the most powerful people in the country, the party also wants an LGBTIQA+ human rights commissioner as part of its costed policy platform for making equality a priority. The Greens are calling on the next government to appoint the first federal minister for equality as the party launches its LGBTIQA+ policy on Sunday.
