We are delighted to introduce the Department of Premier and Cabinet’s (DPC’s) LGBTIQA+ Inclusion Plan 2024-2028.
As members of the LGBTIQA+ community, DPC has been an inclusive and supportive place for us to work, with diverse teams that are reflective of the communities we live in. This is not something we take for granted, as we have both previously experienced environments where it wasn't safe to identify as LGBTIQA+.
Our diversity is our strength, and we want to ensure that every staff member has the same positive experience at DPC and feels empowered to be their authentic selves at work.
This plan builds on the work of our previous inclusion plan and the work that has been done to establish DPC as a safe place for LGBTIQA+ employees. Our achievements in recent years have been considerable, but there is still more to be done.
A recent report from the Commission for Gender Equality in the Public Sector highlights that LGBTIQA+ people continue to face high levels of workplace discrimination and harassment, do not feel safe to disclose their identities at work and face barriers to career development and progression. It also found that trans, gender-diverse and intersex people face additional barriers to inclusion.
As Co-Executive Champions, we are deeply committed to advocating for LGBTIQA+ people at DPC across the Victorian Public Service and in the communities that DPC supports as a central agency of government. We will use this plan to drive positive change and represent the interests of our LGBTIQA+ colleagues, ensuring DPC remains accountable to its staff and the VPS for our efforts to continue to improve.
We also encourage staff who are not part of the LGBTIQA+ community to read this plan and make commitments to practically support their LGBTIQA+ colleagues as allies. All staff benefit from a safe and inclusive workplace where the core Victorian Public Sector values are universally embraced, including those of human rights, respect and leadership.
Rach Cowling and Fin Bird
Co-Executive Champions of LGBTIQA+ Inclusion
Updated