2020 VISION

Over the last twenty years our world has changed enormously and it will change even more in the next twenty.

We have made inroads into law reform that have taken us closer to equality than many would have imagined possible. Yet at the same time we suffer from the same rates of violence. We have started having babies in large numbers and we are no longer dying in large numbers of AIDS related illnesses. But as we live longer we aren’t necessarily living longer or planning for old age. We are living in places outside of the postcodes 2010 and 2042 and our notions of community and community attachment are changing. We have a government talking about social inclusion but do we prefer integration or assimilation. What’s in store for us?

That is the starting point for GLBT NSW 2020 – where are we heading?; what do we want our community to be in 2020?; what law reform do we still need?; and how do we get there? 

GLBT NSW 2020’s focus is to develop a plan for the GLBT community across NSW which will help all of us, community organisations and individuals alike, to have our concerns addressed and work towards a common vision. The plan is but the outcome; the conversations we have whilst developing the plan are just as important. Input from as many people and organisations as possible is fundamental to achieving our goal. 

The roundtable on September 27 has raised much interest from people who wants to get involved.  Numbers had to be limited for this first meeting just to get things kicked off but the roundtable is just the beginning of a bigger process which will include everyone who wants to contribute.

A set of five questions has been posted to the roundtable participants in preparation for the meeting. Those same five questions are up for public viewing and response on the ACON website. 

A discussion paper will be written for public comment and we will be specifically inviting comment from those who represent us in government. There will be community forums in Sydney, Lismore, Wollongong, Port Macquarie and hopefully west of the Great Divide to ensure people who do not live in Sydney have an opportunity to have face to face discussions about the issues they think are important.

The resulting plan, which we hope to launch in the middle of 2009, will help GLBT community organisations work better together; and promote the cohesion and health of our community.

I encourage you to begin the discussion about what you hope the GLBT community will be in 2020 with your friends – and to participate in GLBT NSW 2020. Together we can ... achieve things previously thought impossible.

Mark Orr is the President of ACON.

GLBT NSW 2020 Summit will be held on Saturday, September 27, 2008.

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