LGBTIQ+ and unsure how to vote? Here are what the major parties are promising on health

Labor has promised to expand an LGBTIQ+ support hotline, and to consult on health-care needs. Shutterstock^[10]

LGBTIQ+ people would benefit from a stronger health system, but there is not much detail on how Labor’s health reforms would make health care more inclusive for LGBTIQ+ Australians.

Also missing from Labor’s health commitments is specific support for transgender people. Its 2021 national platform^[11] said it wanted to ban gay conversion practices and unnecessary medical treatment of intersex people^[12], but these have not been election promises this year.

Read more: Yes, words can harm young trans people. Here's what we can do to help^[13]

The Greens

The Greens have also focused on affordable health care this election. They want to expand Medicare^[14] to include dental^[15] and mental health care by reinvesting private health insurance rebates into the public system.

Out of all the major parties, The Greens have made the most LGBTIQ+ specific commitments this election. They propose^[16] A$285 million “to ensure all LGBTIQ+ people have access to holistic and comprehensive health services regardless of whether they live in a capital city or a rural town”. There will be funding for LGBTIQ+ community-run organisations, health services and research.

The Greens have promised access to holistic and comprehensive health services for LGBTIQ+ people. Shutterstock^[17]

The Greens will dedicate funding to cover out-of-pocket costs for trans people accessing gender affirming health care.

They also plan to commit $132 million to act on The Darlington Statement^[18], which advocates for intersex people.

All these commitments might seem ambitious. But they are supported by research^[19] and recommendations^[20] from LGBTIQ+ organisations.

Read more: Surgery to make intersex children 'normal' should be banned^[21]

Coalition

The Liberal Party promises^[22] support for primary and preventative health care, expansion of telehealth services, more funding for public and private hospitals, and cost cuts for private health insurance.

Its women’s health platform is based on an almost $54 million commitment to “make it easier for more Australians to become parents”. Aged care^[23] is also a big feature of its platform, as is mental health.

The Liberal Party has promised funding to help more Australians become parents. Shutterstock^[24]

The Coalition assures voters^[25] it is “committed to supporting the mental health of the LGBTIQ+ community – particularly the LGBTIQ+ youth – as demonstrated by the ongoing investment in child and youth mental health and LGBTIQ+ specific programs and services”.

The Liberal Party recently announced a $4.2 million funding boost^[26] over three years for national services to support LGBTIQ+ mental health.

Read more: Politics with Michelle Grattan: On Katherine Deves, a hung parliament, and the new silence about COVID^[27]

However, the Coalition has a patchy history when it comes to LGBTIQ+ health. Liberal and National Party members have opposed marriage equality and LGBTIQ+ inclusive sex education.

Some Coalition members recently supported^[28] religious exemptions allowing discrimination against LGBTIQ+ staff and transgender students in faith-based schools.

Liberal Party candidate for Warringah, Katherine Deves, is vocally opposed to transgender women participating in women’s sport. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has defended Deves, wrongly saying^[29] “gender reversal surgery for young adolescents” is a “significant issue”.

Read more: I’m a pediatrician who cares for transgender kids – here’s what you need to know about social support, puberty blockers and other medical options that improve lives of transgender youth^[30]

Call to focus on the real issues

Research shows discrimination^[31] and lack of access to inclusive services^[32] are the main contributors to the increased risk^[33] of mental health problems and suicide LGBTIQ+ people face.

Labor and the Coalition make big promises to fund and support mental health. But these efforts are undermined by both parties’ support for religious discrimination^[34] and their lack of leadership on transgender inclusion in health care and in public life more broadly.

When it comes to LGBTIQ+ issues this election, most have played out in the mainstream media as the “transgender issue”. However, this misses some of the real issues that matter to this community – freedom from discrimination and access to quality health care.

Read more https://theconversation.com/lgbtiq-and-unsure-how-to-vote-here-are-what-the-major-parties-are-promising-on-health-183214