On this year’s Transgender Day of Remembrance, Greens LGBTIQ+ spokesperson Senator Janet Rice acknowledged the importance of the day and paid her respects to the trans and gender diverse people who are no longer with us.

Senator Rice also called on Prime Minister Scott Morrison to apologise to all trans and gender diverse Australians for the hurt and damage his past actions have caused.

“This Trans Day of Remembrance I remember the beautiful trans and gender diverse people we have lost because our society refused to celebrate them,” Senator Rice said.

The first anniversary of the ‘Yes’ vote is a cause for celebration, but we must acknowledge the harm that the unnecessary postal survey had on LGBTIQ+ people and communities, say the Greens.

“I’m so delighted to be celebrating the anniversary of the ‘Yes’ vote, the day we knew that Australians voted for love and we would finally have marriage equality in this country,” said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens LGBTIQ+ spokesperson.

“But we must also acknowledge and remember the harm the postal survey caused LGBTIQ+ people, our families and our communities.”

The Greens have ensured that the LGBTQ+ schools inquiry will report in two weeks and will include teachers and school staff.

The Greens successfully amended the Terms of Reference for the inquiry so that it will report on the legislative changes needed to remove discrimination against both students and teachers this year.

“Removing discrimination against both students and staff is urgent. It must happen this year,” said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens LGBTIQ+ spokesperson.

Following the backflip by the Sydney Anglicans and the  Melbourne Anglicans coming out to say they don’t want the power to expel or fire LGBT+ students and teachers, Labor and Liberal must commit to supporting the Greens bill removing discrimination in schools.

“There’s been a lot of talk from the Morrison government and from Labor about ending discrimination against LGBT+ people in schools, but the time for talk is over,” said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens LGBTIQ+ spokesperson.

The Morrison government must deliver now on its promise to remove discrimination against LGBT+ students in religious schools, and include teachers and staff, say the Greens.

“With even some religious schools now joining the call for this discrimination to end, it’s time for parliamentarians to get on with the job and remove religious schools’ ability to expel and fire LGBT+ students and staff,” said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens LGBTIQ+ spokesperson.

The joint letter from Sydney Anglican school principals shows they want to continue to be able to discriminate against LGBT+ people just because of who they are, say the Greens.

‘If what the Sydney Anglicans are saying is that merely being out as LGBT+ is enough to ‘undermine or denigrate the beliefs and teachings of an employing school’, then that’s homophobia and transphobia, not religious freedom,’ said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens LGBTIQ+ spokesperson.

‘The Government’s failure to introduce a Bill today proves that Prime Minister Morrison is more interested in avoiding a divisive party room so soon after the Wentworth disaster than protecting LGBTIQ+ students and staff from discrimination,’ said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens LGBTIQ+ spokesperson.

‘Once again LGBTIQ+ people are being held to ransom by the hard right of the Liberal party.’

The Australian Greens are calling on Prime Minister Morrison to deliver on his promise during the Wentworth by-election to remove the ability of religious schools to discriminate against LGBTIQ+ students.

“When the heat was on during Wentworth, the Prime Minister promised a bill would be passed by the end of this week removing discrimination in religious schools,” said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens LGBTIQ+ spokesperson.

“Where is the bill? Or did the Prime Minister lie to the people of Wentworth?”