New SA Police plan launched amid reports of rising homophobic abuse
A Labor MLC – one of two openly gay members of parliament – says a new SA Police network supporting the LGBTQIA+ community is welcome as the nation sees a rise in homophobic abuse.
Labor MLC and one of two openly gay members of parliament Ian Hunter is welcoming the launch this week of the LGBTQIA+ Liaison Officer (LLO) Network to support the state’s queer community, saying there has been a noticeable rise in homophobic abuse in recent years.
“I think there’s been an increase in [homophobic] behaviour across the board in the community” Hunter said.
“For the police to do this and make it very plain that they’re there to help and they want to be an ally, I think that’s a fantastic move”.
Varo, CEO of the South Australian Rainbow Advocacy Alliance (SARAA), agreed, saying that queer abuse has increased in recent years “without a doubt”.
“LGBTQ+ Australians are facing really significant levels of hate, abuse and violence at the moment,” they told InDaily.
You might like
The LLO Network is a key action under the Pride at SAPOL LGBTQIA+ 2025 – 2030 Strategy which was announced last year, 50 years after South Australia became the first state to decriminalise homosexuality in 1975.
Formerly known as the Gay and Lesbian Officer (GLO) network, the voluntary program is made up of officers who have received specific training to provide additional support to members of the LGBTQIA+ community. LLO’s act as a safe point of contact between SAPOL and people in the queer community, with the plan saying it aimed to address historical mistrust between the queer community and SAPOL.
“A relationship with the police hasn’t always been very smooth,” Hunter, who has been a member of the state’s upper house since 2006, said.
“To have a place where you are assured some sort of safety, emotional safety, you can go and report crimes, I think it’s fantastic”.
Stay informed, daily
Varo agreed; “we welcome the review of the program and it’s good that it’s up and running”.
“We need those trained officers who understand the issues that LGBTQ+ Australians are facing”
The strategy is based on feedback from the 2019 LGBQIA+ Community Roundtable and recommendations in the 2021 report of the South Australian Rainbow Advocacy Alliance (SARAA).
In May last year, Hunter and SA Greens Leader Rob Simms reported seeing a rise in homophobic abuse across the nation as “the right is emboldened” by culture wars and last year’s federal election campaign, pointing to social media page content and around 30 people being arrested in Victoria for attacking gay men.
The SARAA report, which refers to the 2019 roundtable, highlights the need for SAPOL to acknowledge past wrongdoings and strengthen anti-discrimination laws to better protect LGBTQIA+ people. Some of the key recommendations from the report include further engagement with the queer community regarding the development and design of strategies and the establishment of a South Australian LGBTQIA+ Commissioner, to be filled by a person from the community.
And while Varo said the LLO program is “a great step forward”, they added that there was still a long way to go.
“We do want to see a range of actions from across the board… improving police response, improving access to legal and justice services, and building partnerships with community organisations, because we’re often the first point of contact for people when they experience that hate or violence,” they said.
According to the Pride at SAPOL Strategy report, “SAPOL acknowledges that there is still work to do and relationships to develop and nurture to ensure that South Australia’s LGBTQIA+ community has increased confidence in the organisation”.
“We’ve come a long way since then, but there is still a level of distrust of police as an institution that we really need to do a lot of work to rebuild,” Varo said.
