A collective of rainbow organisations around Aotearoa have collaborated to release a summary of key issues facing rainbow people in the 2023 General Election.

“In this election year, we call on all political parties to commit to equity for rainbow people, by committing to these policies,” says Tabby Besley, Managing Director of InsideOUT, a member of the Rainbow Support Collective. “We also call on rainbow people and our allies to take these unmet needs and inequalities into account when making decisions as voters.”

The release of the 2023 Census data will provide population-level data on Aotearoa’s rainbow population for the first time, but a recent IPSOS survey found Aotearoa’s rainbow population at 10% of the general population or 500,000 people.

The key issues identified by the Rainbow Support Collective span across health system reforms, housing and homelessness, education and youth, and rights and legislation.

Specific policy reforms identified by the collective include the creation of Rainbow, Transgender and Intersex Health Strategies; naming rainbow and transgender people as a priority population in Kainga Ora’s housing strategy and the Homelessness Action Plan; supporting mandatory support, training, and professional development to school staff and teachers in training; and establishing a Ministry for Rainbow People.

“The conversation about LGBTQIA+ rights in this election so far have not included our voices,” says Jennifer Shields, interim Director of Qtopia. “With these key issues we’re centring a rainbow perspective, and focusing on the things that will have the greatest impact and benefit for our communities.”

The Rainbow Support Collective (RSC) is made up of both national and regional organisations around Aotearoa who provide year round on the ground support to rainbow people. This includes organisations with a specialised focus on transgender, intersex and youth populations.

Read the full list of key issues at: https://www.rainbowsupportcollective.nz/key-election-issues

Source for stats: https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/news/documents/2023-05/Ipsos%20LGBT%2B%20Pride%202023%20Global%20Survey%20Report%20-%20rev.pdf

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