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Group of stylised people representing the diversity of the LGBTIQ+ community

Timeline of major community, legal and policy developments in Victoria

1980 to 1981

  • Rainbow colours symbolising the LGBTIQ+ community

    1980

    Parliament decriminalises sex between men

  • 1981

    Decriminalisation of sex between men comes into effect

2000 to 2019

  • Rainbow colours symbolising the LGBTIQ+ community

    2000

    ‘Gender identity’ added as a protected attribute under the Equal Opportunity Act 2010

    ‘Sexual orientation’ added as a protected attribute under the Equal Opportunity Act 2010

    Victoria Police establishes LGBTI liaison officers to build trust

  • 2001

    Same-sex couples get rights equal to heterosexual de facto couples

  • 2005

    ‘Gay panic’ defence abolished

  • 2008

    Assisted reproductive technology becomes legal for female same-sex partners

    Same-sex couples can register their relationship as a domestic partnership

  • 2010

    The Safe Schools Coalition of Victoria established for LGBTIQ students

  • 2014

    Process to enable TGD people to change gender on their driver’s licence

    Victoria Police apologises for the 1994 Tasty Nightclub raid

    Victoria Police starts the ‘Equality is not the same’ process to build trust

  • 2015

    Victorian Government establishes the Equality portfolio

    Australia’s first Minister for Equality and Commissioner for Gender and Sexuality (now titled Commissioner for LGBTIQ+ Communities) created

    Couples can register their same-sex marriage from another jurisdiction as a domestic relationship in Victoria

    Scheme to expunge historical convictions for homosexual activity

    Victoria’s 10-year mental health plan focuses on LGBTI communities

  • 2016

    The Aboriginal health, wellbeing and safety strategic plan commits to LGBTIQ+ Aboriginal people

    LGBT couples can adopt children

    Kunghah Brotherboys and Sistergirls weekend retreat for Aboriginal TGD people to share their experiences and knowledge, and address community issues

    LGBTIQ Equality Roadshow visits 29 towns in rural and regional Victoria

    Premier Daniel Andrews makes a formal apology in Parliament to those convicted under laws that criminalised homosexuality

    The Victorian Royal Commission into Family Violence recommends strengthening the response for people from LGBTIQ+ communities, with later budget investment in LGBTIQ+ specialist family violence services and LGBTIQ+ inclusion in mainstream services

    Victorian Pride Centre announced

  • 2017

    The Corrections Victoria Commissioner revises requirements detailing prison management of people who are trans, gender diverse or intersex

    Department of Premier and Cabinet forum on LGBT inclusion in sport

    Justice Health policy includes health care for TGDI prisoners

    Marriage equality legalised under Commonwealth law, following Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey

  • 2018

    All Victorian Government secondary schools become Safe Schools

    Fair Play Code addresses discrimination in sport and recreation

    Nanyubak Yapaneyeputj ‘dreaming together’ retreat for Aboriginal LGBTI people

    The Victorian Government releases the Everybody matters: inclusion and equity statement 10-year vision for the family violence system

    Statewide two-day community of practice meeting of rural and regional LGBTI stakeholders, held in Melbourne to advance rural and regional inclusion

  • 2019

    Adults can apply to alter the record of their sex in their Victorian birth registration without the need to be unmarried (end of ‘forced divorce’)

    Sexual reassignment surgery is no longer needed to change a birth certificate

    First LGBTIQ+ Aboriginal roundtable convened; Koorie Pride Victoria established

    Intersex Policy and Resource Project launched

    Trans parents can change their sex and name on their child’s birth certificate

    Victoria Police apologises for the way police enforced historical laws related to homosexuality

    10 rural and regional LGBTIQ+ community of practice meetings held to build rural and regional LGBTIQ+ inclusion

2020 to 2022

  • Rainbow colours symbolising the LGBTIQ+ community

    2021

    Law passed to ban harmful LGBTQ+ change or suppression (conversion) practices

    The Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System final report includes a focus on LGBTIQ+ people

    The Victorian Inquiry into Anti-Vilification Protections recommends extending protections to include LGBTIQ+ attributes

    Respect Victoria campaign to address LGBTIQ+ family violence launched

    Victorian Pride Centre opens

    The attribute of sex characteristics is added to the Equal Opportunity Act 2010, protecting against discrimination for intersex Victorians

  • 2022

    The Victorian Government adopts its first LGBTIQ+ strategy

Rainbow colours symbolising the LGBTIQA+ community

Updated