Thursday the 31st of October 2024
Victorian Legislative Council

Rachel Payne MP presented a member’s statement on the launch of Justice Q, a free specialist legal service in Melbourne’s south-east, operated by and for LGBTIQA+ people. Launched in October of this year, Justice Q is an initiative of South-East Monash Legal Service (SMLS), with Rachel having served as a proud member of their steering committee.

RACHEL PAYNE (South-Eastern Metropolitan): Only a few short weeks ago I was thrilled to attend to the launch of Justice Q, a free specialist legal service operated by and for LGBTIQA+ people, held at Bunjil Place in Narre Warren.

Justice Q was initiated by the South-East Monash Legal Service in response to the complex and evolving legal needs of the queer community in Melbourne’s south-east. Listening to the speakers at the launch share their lived experiences in seeking legal support highlighted that while LGBTIQA+ people generally seek the same legal advice as other Victorians on issues such as family violence, housing and immigration, they face significant barriers created by our binary system.

LGBTIQA+ people living in the south-east have long faced a difficult decision of travelling far from home to access inclusive support, potentially encountering discrimination from generalised services or forgoing legal services altogether.

It has been an absolute pleasure to serve as a member of the Justice Q steering committee, and I want to extend my congratulations to Justice Q on its launch. I look forward to further collaboration and witnessing the positive impacts of the vital community service that you will provide.

Related Resources

> LGBTIQA+ Anti-vilification – Rachel Payne
> Counting LGBTIQA+ Australians in the census – Rachel Payne
> Pride in Place Funding for LGBTIQA+ homelessness services  – Rachel Payne
> Greater Dandenong LGBTIQA+ Advisory Committee  – Rachel Payne
> Concerns about anti-LGBTIQA+ hate speech in the South East – Rachel Payne