In 2023 Council was approached by community members, including individuals with lived experience of discrimination in our community, asking Council to take more of a leadership role in showing support for a more inclusive and diverse community. This included a request to fly a pride flag at Council’s main buildings, such as the Civic Centre and Council Offices for significant occasions that celebrate the LGBTIQA+ communities.

Subsequently, Mr Rodney Croome from Equality Tasmania was invited to brief Council on suggested approaches that Council could take in responding to these requests and possibly taking a broader approach to understanding the needs of our LGBTIQA+ community, their experiences of living in the Brighton area and promoting an inclusive community as a Council.

Local government plays a key role in promoting inclusion in communities because it is the level of government closest to the people and provides key community services.

A number of Tasmanian municipalities have taken action to ensure their community, services and workplaces are inclusive, and Brighton Council would like to do the same. Some examples of what other Councils have implemented include:

Kingborough Council: consulting with the community, developing an Action Plan, flying pride flags, conducting LGBTIQA+ inclusion workshops for staff.

City of Hobart: consulting with the LGBTIQA+ community, developing an LGBTIQA+ commitment, flying pride flags, conducting workshops.

City of Launceston: developing an LGBTIQA+ community consultation process and flag-flying policy.

Derwent, Huon and Meander Valley Councils: flying pride flags.

At the June 2024 Ordinary Council Meeting, councillors voted to commence a consultation project with a view to potentially developing an LGBTIQA+ Action Plan based on these findings. This consultation will begin in August with the main objective being to understand the experiences of our LGBTIQA+ residents, the good and the bad.

If you identify as LGBTIQA+ or are a family member, friend, carer, or ally of an LGBTIQA+ resident in the Brighton region and would like to find out more or get actively involved in the consultation project, please contact Angela at Brighton Council via admin@brighton.tas.gov.au or phone (03) 6268 7000.