The City of Sydney has backed calls by the Inner City Legal Centre to support the establishment of an LGBTQIA+ services hub.
The ICLC is an inner-Sydney centre that provides free legal advice and support to many in the city, with specialist services for LGBTQI+ people, sex workers, and trans and gender-diverse individuals.
The organisation has been calling for more funding to allow it to become a statewide LGBTQIA+ and sex worker legal service.
It currently operates out of the basement of the Kings Cross Library, but at last night’s council meeting, Lord Mayor Clover Moore backed calls to help it expand.
Moore, in her minutes, said she had previously written to both federal and state governments to request more funding for legal services and that talks may already be underway.
“I understand that the NSW Government is considering providing funding for a statewide LGBTIQA+ service. Such a service would be significant anchor for an LGBTIQA+ Service Hub. I hope the City can play an active role in making such a hub a reality.”
Since 1997, the ICLC has leased council-owned properties, with its current lease set to expire on June 30 this year.
Moore said that seeking a larger home for the ICLC and potentially partner organisations would be consistent with her “Lord Mayoral Minute unanimously adopted by Council.”
As per her minutes approved by council last night, City of Sydney CEO Monica Barone has been requested to “investigate options for providing suitable premises to enable the Inner City Legal Centre to establish an LGBTIQA+ Services Hub with partner organisations.”
At last night’s meeting, there was also a motion submitted by Councillor Olly Arkins, who called for support for the ICLC.
Arkins thanked the Lord Mayor for bringing her minute to council, saying it was good to have “the same immediate drive” to pursue support for the ICLC.
”The City of Sydney has a long history of support LGBTQIA+ and sex workers rights and for the last 20 years we have supported them with subsidised accomodation,” Arkins said.
“It’s about saying: we are a city where trans people, queer people and sex workers are embraced, loved and backed.”
Arkins said it was clear after meeting with the ICLC that more support was needed to help fund its operations.
“They are our state’s only dedicated sex worker legal service and trans and gender diverse legal service, yet I acknowledge they are not appropriate funded to deliver these services,” she said.
“I call on the state Labor government to change that, and quickly.”
ICLC CEO Katie Green thanked the City of Sydney for the support, telling Gay Sydney Daily she looked forward to working with the CEO to find a new fit-for-purpose premises.
“Depending on what we find, we will likely co-locate with other services that support our community and create a mini hub so people can access lots of support from one place,” she said.
“We hope that by the City providing fit-for-purpose premises, the state government will also contribute to the cost of staffing and expanding, expert team of lawyers, educators and community support officers.”
NSW Attorney General Michael Daley told GSD that under the National Access to Justice Partnership, $3.2M per year is available for uplifts in funding for community legal centres.
”A tender process is currently underway to determine how this uplift funding will be allocated,” he said.
“ICLC is eligible to participate in the tender process and may apply for an uplift to establish a dedicated LGBTQIA+ legal service.”
