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ALHR applauds VicPol apology to LGBTQI community
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) has congratulated Victoria Police after chief commissioner Graham Ashton issued a formal apology for causing “unnecessary and unacceptable harm” to the LGBTQI community.
Emma Musgrave
Source: alhr.org.au/about-us/
Mr Ashton formally apologised to the community earlier this week on behalf of the Victoria Police, acknowledging the historical harm associated with its enforcement of laws which criminalised homosexuality.
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“ALHR welcomes this important public recognition of the unnecessary and unacceptable treatment of LGBTQI Victorians,” ALHR’s LGBTI Rights Subcommittee Chair, Georgia Burke said.
“However, we call on the Victorian government to commission an inquiry into the justice system’s response to LGBTI historical and contemporary hate crimes.
“This apology means a lot to our communities and we at ALHR are very moved by it. But, as the chief commissioner of police, Graham Ashton said, Victoria Police’s work is not complete; more needs to be done to ensure the police service prominently reflects all minority groups, including those within the LGBTI community.
“We ask the Victorian government to use this historic apology as the gateway to commissioning an inquiry like the one currently taking place in NSW in relation to how institutions within the Victorian justice system have responded to LGBTI hate crimes.”
