MEDIA RELEASE AND ALERT - Premier Chris Minns urged to fund the LGBTIQA+ legal service for NSW - Inner City Legal Centre
Inner City Legal Centre - Sydney
The Inner City Legal Centre (ICLC) has called on the NSW Premier to properly fund a dedicated LGBTIQA+ community legal service, warning that LGBTIQA+ people are being left behind compared to other states.
ICLC CEO Katie Green said the Centre has been providing specialist legal support to LGBTIQA+ people for more than four decades, but that it has never received dedicated government funding to provide the highly valued service.
“We are nominally recognised as NSW’s LGBTIQA+ legal service, and while our clients highly value our efforts, we are not funded to provide this service beyond the boundaries of our inner-city catchment area.”
“Our staff and volunteers stretch every dollar to meet overwhelming demand from across the state. But without dedicated funding, we are forced to turn people away, and our LGBTQIA+ community in regional and rural parts of NSW are being left without access to safe and culturally appropriate legal help.”
The call follows the recent release of ICLC’s A Blueprint for Equality: Resourcing LGBTQIA+ Community Legal Centres report, which highlights that NSW is lagging behind other jurisdictions.
“Victoria and Queensland both have standalone, statewide LGBTIQA+ legal services; Q+Law in Victoria and the LGBTI Legal Service in Queensland. NSW funds no equivalent support, despite being the most populous state in Australia with a large LGBTQIA+ community.”
Ms Green said LGBTIQA+ people in NSW face distinct legal challenges, which made the funding of dedicated legal services critical to their well-being, especially in light of recent reform in NSW, including the banning of LGBTQIA+ Conversion practices, the LGBTQIA+ Equality Bill and the state apology to people convicted of historical “homosexual” offences.
“Our clients experience discrimination, vilification and violence at higher rates than the general population. They face housing insecurity, and although we have recently amended laws in relation to birth certificates, our trans clients still experience barriers to legally affirming their gender. Many of our clients avoid seeking legal help because mainstream services are not culturally safe or equipped with sufficient community knowledge to meet their needs.”
“While we welcome the fact that for the first time, the new National Access to Justice Partnership 2025–2030 formally recognises LGBTIQA+ people as a priority population for legal assistance, no funding has been allocated to support our service to meet that obligation.
The NSW Government is also developing its first LGBTQIA+ Inclusion Strategy, which aims to position NSW as a national leader in achieving the best and most equitable outcomes for LGBTIQ+ communities.
“I cannot see how it will be possible to realise this aspiration of the inclusion strategy without a fully funded, community-based legal service that will respond to community members in crisis.
“It is now time for NSW to step up and join Victoria and Queensland in providing an equitable legal service for our population. Recognition without resources means that the rights of our community exist on paper only.”
Many of ICLC’s former clients have described the Centre’s support as life-changing, helping them through some of the most challenging periods of their lives.
Tim, an elderly gay man from regional NSW, lived with a criminal record for nearly 50 years because of historical homosexual offences until ICLC helped him clear his name. He talked about why dedicated legal representation was critical to the LGBTIQA+ community.
“It was a humiliating experience that stayed with me for decades. I was treated cruelly and made to feel like less than human, and that mark followed me through my life.
“For years, I lived in constant fear that someone would find out, that I’d be exposed and shamed all over again. It affected my work, my confidence and even simple things like the freedom to travel.
“I had lost all hope, but something inside me said to keep fighting. When I reached out to the Inner City Legal Centre, it was the first time I felt truly seen and supported.
“They stood by me through every step of the long, painful process of clearing my name and having the charges extinguished. I can’t thank them enough for what they did. I couldn’t have done it without their support and advocacy.”
Jeremy Moineau, a transgender woman from remote NSW, said that the ICLC’s advocacy for major reforms that finally allow trans people to update their birth certificates without surgery.
“The Inner City Legal Centre is the essential link between legislation and community impact. They’re out there tirelessly on the front lines, meeting trans people where they’re at and making sure no LGBTQIA+ person is left behind.
“The ICLC is helping ensure every trans person can update their documentation to truly reflect their identity and be recognised for who they are.
“That has a profoundly positive domino effect in the lives of trans people and their futures. That is how you bring legislation to life.
“Right now, there are already some trans people having to make the impossible choice between paying the rent and accessing gender-affirming healthcare.
“Being forced to pay a fee on top of that to amend their birth certificate is a flaw in the legislation that was designed to support them.
“No one in Australia should have to rob themselves of healthcare to pay for government ID, and the ICLC is out there solving that issue. Birth certificates are essential to everyone in our society, especially trans people.
“They are the first key that unlocks the door to accessing all other IDs. When your documents align with who you are it means feeling safe while travelling, feeling confident applying for jobs, or even simply knowing your ID won’t out you next time you’re having a drink at your local bar.
“The ICLC is the only dedicated legal service the LGBTQIA+ community has right now in NSW. They’re the champions who are committed to bringing these reforms into reality. Legislation will continue to change, sometimes for good and other times not.
“But the steady ICLC impact, helping people gain dignity, safety and the ability to walk in their truth, that’s something that leaves a lasting positive impression, forever.
“The government has acknowledged that there is still much more work to do to ensure equal rights for the LGBTQIA+ people of NSW.
“One powerful step they can take today is to ensure dedicated funding for the organisations, like the ICLC, that make sure their new laws are more than just a Hansard entry and a headline.”
Charley Allanah, a transgender sex worker, was supported by ICLC to report a serial sexual offender, leading to one of the first prosecutions under NSW’s updated consent laws and speaks about how vital the ICLC has been in supporting trans people to access the correct identity documents.
“The work the ICLC does is invaluable to trans people.
“Getting your identification documents to align with the way you wish to present yourself to the world is so critical to your dignity and your participation in everyday life. Without it, trans people are locked out of so many basic things others take for granted.
“It’s a major safety issue, too. For trans people, something as simple as showing your ID can turn dangerous. A whole venue can turn on you in an instant, and that can be terrifying.
“Trans people still face higher risks of violence, discrimination and poverty. The work ICLC does isn’t just important; it can be life-saving.
“The ICLC has been absolutely invaluable in helping trans people navigate what can be a very complex and expensive process in changing government documentation.
The ICLC is also a deeply trusted and well-known part of our community. They understand us and stand with us, and that’s not something many trans people have found in the broader legal profession or in law enforcement.
The ICLC are an invaluable, trusted ally. The work they have done has literally saved lives. They make our rights real.”
NSW Member for Sydney, Alex Greenwich, said that support for funding for the dedicated legal service was absolutely critical for the welfare of the LGBTIQA+ community.
“Throughout this Parliament, we have passed important laws to protect the LGBTIQA+ communities; however, access to justice through these laws can still be a challenge for the most vulnerable in the community.
“A properly funded LGBTIQA+ legal service will ensure our laws are used and justice prevails."
NSW Member for Summer Hill - Jo Haylen said the Blueprint for Equality would ensure the vital work provided by the ICLC could continue to be provided to the LGBTIQA+ community across NSW.
“The Inner City Legal Centre is a lifeline for so many in our community, especially LGBTQIA+ people who deserve support that’s safe, inclusive and close to home.
“The Blueprint for Equality lays out a clear path to ensure every LGBTQIA+ person across NSW, not just in the Inner West, can access the legal help they need, no matter where they live.”
Ms Green said the NSW Government now has the opportunity to ensure all LGBTIQA+ people across NSW have access to the specialist legal support services they need and deserve.
“Improved rights only have meaning when people can access the justice and support they need to improve their lives and to protect their wellbeing. An expanded LGBTQIA+ Legal Service that is truly statewide will support that vision.”
“We respectfully ask the Premier and the NSW Attorney General to provide core funding for our dedicated LGBTIQA+ legal service, as part of our commitments under NSW LGBTIQA+ Inclusion Strategy and the National Access to Justice Partnership.”
Media contact: Darren Rodrigo 0414 783 405
MEDIA ALERT
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WHAT |
The Inner City Legal Centre will launch its Blueprint for Equality – a pathway for resourcing LGBTQIA+ Community Legal Centres. The Blueprint articulates the need for LGBQTIA+ specific legal centres to be available wherever they are needed in NSW and Australia, and not just for residents in the inner city.
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WHO |
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WHEN |
9:30am Wednesday, 12 November 2025 (please arrive 15 minutes early to proceed through security and enter through the Legislative Assembly entrance of Parliament House.) |
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WHERE |
The Theatrette NSW Parliament, Macquarie Street Sydney
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CONTACT |
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Contact details:
Darren Rodrigo – 0414 783 405 or [email protected]