Local LGBTQIA+ Issues
The Department of Health estimates that 11% of the Australian population have a diverse sexual orientation, sex or gender identity. This means that in the City of Busselton there may be around 4,500 LGBTQIA+ people - and more than one out of every ten tourists!
Sadly due to a range of factors, all people living in regional areas have higher rates of illness and death than those living in capital cities, and LGBTQIA+ people living in regional WA face additional unique factors in accessing health care and services, making social connections, and maintaining their well-being.
LGBTQIA+ people living in rural and regional areas are less likely to be open about their sexual orientation or gender identity, due to fears of discrimination and privacy concerns.
Regional towns offers fewer services that have actively taken steps to education and train staff on issues relating to the LGBTQIA+ community.
Many LGBTQIA+ individuals rely on word of mouth of other LGBTQIA+ people for recommendations and feedback on whether venues and businesses are "safe" or not, and without being able to establish strong social connections between LGBTQIA+ people, many simply do not engage with businesses, services, community groups and health care.
A lack of access to specialised medical services, such as gender affirming care, leaves many LGBQTIA+ people with higher health care and travel costs, if they are able to access those services at all.
City of Busselton Council
In July 2023, a neo-Nazi addressed a community consultation event at Council Chambers, expressing strong opposition to LGBTIQA+ books being available in the local library and called for their removal and a ban of such books. Following this, we sent a survey to all candidates to gather their views on this issue and several LGBTQIA+ topics.
Of the Mayoral Candidates, Cr. Phill Cronin, Cr. Jodie Richards, Cr. Sue Riccelli, and Kate Cox all responded positively. Cr Anne Ryan did not respond.
Of the Council Candidates, Cr. Ross Paine and Val Kaigg responded positively, Richard Beecroft and Jarrod Kennedy responded declining to answer the questions, and Andrew Macnish has responded with a lengthy yet ambiguous response.
Note - Candidates who were both a Mayoral Candidate and a Council candidate are recorded in the Mayoral list only. Candidate Stephen Wells was not sent the survey due to his extremist views already extensively published online. Candidate Andrew Macnish's response is attached here separately due to its length.