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Category Archive: Media Release

Statement from Drummond Street Services on Trump’s Policy Targeting Trans and Gender Diverse People

We at Drummond Street Services are angered by the recent executive order signed by US President Donald Trump. This order, which claims to “protect women”, takes away vital protections for trans, gender diverse and intersex people and puts them in danger.

This isn’t about protecting women – it’s about erasing the existence of trans and gender-diverse people. Real support for women, including trans women, means addressing issues like violence, healthcare access, and workplace equality, not implementing policies that exclude and discriminate.

We are most concerned about the precedent this sets. Policies like this can be used as a template for other countries to follow and put countless lives at risk. As an organisation that supports LGBTIQA+ communities, we can’t stay silent.

We stand in solidarity with the Trans and Gender Diverse folk who are resiliently standing up to the hate. At the same time, we recognise not everybody has the capacity to do this.

We call on the Australian Labor Party (ALP) to take a strong stance against this. We also urge the Australian Immigration Department to offer refuge to trans and gender-diverse people fleeing the US to keep them safe and well.

Drummond Street Services works to create inclusive communities where everyone, regardless of gender identity, can live with respect and dignity. We will continue to stand with our trans and gender diverse communities and amplify their voices and defend their rights.

In solidarity,

Drummond Street Services

Changes at Archer

Guest editors will continue to play a key role in guiding and curating the content of Archer magazine, the magazine’s publisher Drummond Street Services has confirmed.

Work on the next edition is now underway, and an announcement about the selection process for future guest editors will be made soon.

This model has been highly successful in recent years with notable guest editors, including Tabitha Lean, guest editor of the incarceration issue, and Maddee Clark and Bridget Caldwell, joint guest editors of the First Nations issue.

Drummond Street Services has also confirmed that it has mutually agreed to part ways with former editor-in-chief Rosalind Chapman-Bellamy.

Drummond Street Services thanks Mx Chapman-Bellamy for their service and wishes them well in their future endeavours.

Moving forward, the overriding concern is Archer magazine and the queer community that it serves. We all want to see Archer magazine’s voice remain strong.

Karen Field, CEO of Drummond Street Services, and Amy Middleton, Director of Archer.

Qhub Unveiled New Safe Space for LGBTIQA+ Youth in Geelong: Officially Opened Site on Valentine’s Day!

QHub, a ground-breaking initiative dedicated to providing safe spaces for LGBTIQA+ young people, successfully launched its Geelong site on Wednesday, February 14th. The event was opened by the MP for Geelong, Christine Couzens.

Launch attendees celebrated the opening of the important space that provides tailored mental health and well-being services for LGBTIQA+ young people.

Jack Khouri, QHub Manager, said: “We are so happy to finally provide this space that ensures young people have access to welcoming and inclusive supports in their vicinity, where they don’t need to travel several hours to feel accepted or get support.”

“QHub is a collaborative effort led by Drummond Street Services in partnership with Cafs (Child and Family Services Ballarat) and Wellways, and we work closely with young people to tailor the services to their needs.”

“We offer more than just mental health and well-being services; we work with young people to provide inclusive wrap-around support.”

This site is one of two landmark safe spaces for LGBTIQA+ young people, with the other being based in Ballarat and complemented by additional outreach services for those on the Surf Coast. This initiative aligned with the Victorian State Government’s commitment to inclusivity and equality for LGBTIQA+ communities as part of Pride in Our Future: Victoria’s LGBTIQA+ Strategy 2022–32.

The launch event featured Kristi Watts, a Wathawurrung/Wathaurong/Gunditjmara woman, who performed the Welcome to Country, followed by official proceedings led by Karen Field, CEO of Queerspace and Drummond Street, who are leading the collaboration, stated:

As the CEO of Drummond Street Services and Queerspace, I want to emphasize the pivotal role of QHub in creating these safe spaces. Safety comes to many people as a given, but for others across this region, it is not a privilege they enjoy, although it should be their absolute right!

For more information about QHub, please call 03 9663 6733.

Drummond Street Services calls for the observation of the International Court of Justice orders to Israel

We are a diverse organisation, and many of the communities we support have been impacted by war, displacement, terrorism, violence, and colonisation. Through our work with communities, we also understand the intergenerational nature of the trauma resulting from these experiences and are committed to supporting families in Melbourne and across Victoria who attempt to rebuild their lives.

We are resolutely against all forms of bigotry, including Islamophobia and anti-Semitism, which has increased during this time. This has been the experience for our clients and our workforce. This must be condemned and stopped, and we all have a role in supporting anyone in our community who is experiencing discrimination and targeted attacks.

As a family services organisation advocating for the well-being and safety of families and individuals from diverse communities, we are making this statement in the context of the continuing violence and bombardment of Gaza and the Palestinians – where over 26,000 Palestinians are reported to have been killed over the past 3 months.

Entire generations of families have been destroyed, and millions have been displaced due to this violence. Schools, hospitals, and refugee camps have been attacked, with Gaza’s health system in near total collapse. This includes the destructive impacts on NGOs, essential health care, education, and access to food, water, sanitation, etc. These are the essential things that sustain life and that we expect, demand, and take for granted in our own daily lives.

We are urging our combined governments to cease wars that harm and kill civilians and to adhere to international laws and conventions. This plea should not be a source of controversy or dispute. Unfortunately, we often encounter either silence or polarisation, adversarial discussions, or the normalisation of violence – both in actions and speech.

We urge the Australian government to support actions and compliance with a rules-based international order, including any violations of a signatory’s obligations – including the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (the Genocide Convention) in relation to Palestinians in Gaza.

In a recent historic ruling, the International Court of Justice declared that Israel must implement measures to avert the further loss of Palestinian civilian lives in Gaza and to forestall acts of genocide.

We urge the Australian government to support actions and compliance with rules-based international orders to support the ICJ’s six emergency orders to Israel:

  • Israel must take all possible measures to prevent acts as outlined in Article 2 of the 1948 Genocide Convention.
  • Israel must ensure its military does not carry out any of the above actions.
  • Israel must prevent and punish the “direct and public incitement to commit genocide in relation to members of the Palestinian group in the Gaza Strip”.
  • Israel must ensure the delivery of basic services and essential humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza.
  • Israel must prevent the destruction of evidence of war crimes in Gaza and allow fact-finding missions access.
  • Israel must submit a report on all steps it has taken to abide by the measures imposed by the court within one month of the judgement.

Human rights are universal, and everyone has the right to live free from violence. We know that for so many people across the globe and in this country, too, this is not the reality or their lived experience. We also must continue our own truth-telling processes and not look away at injustices or minimise the suffering of others. This is uncomfortable for many, but it does not compare to what so many have and continue to endure.

Important Notice Regarding Recent Cyber Incident 

We would like to bring your attention to a recent cyber security incident that has affected the Victorian Court system, potentially exposing sensitive data.  

We were notified this morning that our organisation, was identified by the Coroners Court of Victoria as an Interested Party in a hearing during the relevant time frame of 1/11/2023 – 21/12/2023.   

Please be assured that this was in reference to our participation in a recent public hearing, and therefore no private data or information was exposed in relation to this specific matter.  

Although there is no known or direct impact for our clients, privacy and security is of the utmost importance to us, and therefore we think it is important to reach out and inform our clients and communities that we support.  Therefore, if you or someone you know has been a client of Drummond Street Services and believe that your information may have been included in the cyber incident in relation to another case or court jurisdiction, please reach out to your Drummond Street practitioner or phone 03 9663 6733. 

For detailed information regarding the incident, timelines, and affected jurisdictions, we recommend visiting the CSV website: Court Services Victoria Cyber Incident. They also have their own contact number at:  03 9087 6116 or Email: CSVData@courts.vic.gov.au

We understand that this may be a concerning time for those who may have had hearings during the specified period.  We are also closely monitoring the situation and are committed to providing support and guidance where needed.  

 

Drummond Street Services’ Endorsement of a Yes Vote in the Upcoming Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament Referendum

Drummond Street Services, an organisation deeply committed to social justice and equality, stands for a Yes vote in the upcoming referendum on the proposed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament.

Our support for a Yes vote is underpinned by our core values of justice, solidarity, and accountability. We acknowledge the historical and continued injustices faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and we recognise that the land on which we work is stolen land that was never ceded. We stand in solidarity with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in their fight for treaty, land rights, and justice.

We are critical of the proposed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament, understanding its limitations and the criticisms it has faced from various quarters. We know there are many in our communities, both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, who argue that Voice without Treaty and Truth-telling will not offer the real and transformative power needed.

However, we firmly believe that a Yes vote is a strategic step towards reconciliation and self-determination for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. This critical Yes vote is an opportunity to build momentum for substantive change and challenge the racism that underlies opposition to the Voice.

Regardless of the outcome of the referendum on the Voice, Drummond Street Services remains steadfast in our commitment to continue the fight for treaty, land rights, and justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. We view this referendum as a critical step in the journey towards reconciliation, justice, and a better future for all Australians.

Always Was, Always Will Be.

Q+Law: A New Legal Service With and for LGBTIQA+ Communities

Fitzroy Legal Service is excited to announce that we have been awarded funding from the Victorian Government to establish Q+Law, a safe and inclusive legal service for the LGBTIQA+ community in Melbourne and statewide.

In partnership with Queerspace, a service of Drummond Street Services, the new legal service, will be delivered with and for the LGBTIQA+ community.

Q+Law will improve access to justice for LGBTIQA+ Victorians. Q+Law will deliver services at the Victorian Pride Centre and other community sites, including Queerspace and Your Community Health. Legal advice and referrals will be available statewide via phone or online platforms.

Fitzroy Legal Service has a strong history of fighting discrimination and disadvantage and, alongside its partners, will work to ensure that Q+Law champions and drives law and policy reform in areas that affect the LGBTIQA+ community.

In line with Fitzroy Legal Service’s commitment to community-driven justice, we will centre community need and voice in our work to deliver Q+Law. This new service will build on our more than a decade-long history of service delivery to the LGBTIQA+ community, including support for trans people in custody, our LGBTIQA+ advice service and our delivery of Family Violence and Family Law legal services and education.

Fitzroy Legal Service acknowledges the work undertaken by Southside Justice in leading community legal service provision to the LGBTIQA+ community and will be working collaboratively with the Southside Justice team as the new service is developed.

Kristine Olaris, CEO at Fitzroy Legal Service, says:

“LGBTIQA+ communities are diverse and experience unique and often complex legal needs. This funding will allow us to respond to these needs through safe, responsive and inclusive legal services.

We are excited to be establishing an innovative, community-led legal service that will improve access to justice for LGBTIQA+ Victorians. We look forward to working with other LGBTIQA+ organisations and advocates to address the systemic discrimination faced by the LGBTIQA+ Victorians and thereby contribute to building a fairer Victorian community.”

Karen Field, CEO at Drummond Street Services, says:

“We are delighted to expand our existing partnership with Fitzroy Legal Service to ensure access to legal services to all LGBTIQA+ Victorians regardless of where you live. The Queerspace Community Governance Committee will provide expert lived experience advice and ensure the intersectional voices of our communities inform the service development over time.”

About FLS

As one of the oldest community legal centres in Australia, Fitzroy Legal Service (FLS) is dedicated to assisting the members of the community who face marginalisation, discrimination and/or disadvantage, with legal information, advice and representation.

With a longstanding commitment to community-driven justice, FLS provides legal services for communities who face systemic barriers to justice due to factors such as poverty, race, sex, sexuality
and/or gender diversity, disability and other often intersecting forms of discrimination. We provide a statewide service for incarcerated people, and various multidisciplinary outreach programs reaching communities of colour, homeless people, LGBTIQ+ communities, and people who use drugs.

FLS has provided services directly to the LGBTIQA+ community for well over a decade, including our work supporting trans people in custody, and our LGBTIQ+ legal advice clinic, as a part of our night service. In addition, we have provided a specialist family violence and family law legal service response at Queerspace since 2016.

FLS has a reputation as a champion of law reform and has a long and bold history of conducting public interest litigation, bringing on cases that support social change.

We have also delivered community legal education both to other organisations and to community members for the entirety of our 50-year history.

FLS is staffed by a core group of dedicated professionals and powered by over 300 passionate volunteers, including previous FLS employees and other lawyers and barristers, who offer their time in a volunteer or pro-bono capacity to support our work.

FLS’s vision is a fairer Victorian community where the legal and social systems support equality and justice for all.

About Queerspace

Queerspace forms a part of Drummond Street Services (DS), a community-based not-for-profit organisation incorporated in Victoria. DS was first established in 1887, and it has over 50 years of experience supporting, advocating for, and affirming LGBTIQA+ individuals and communities.

DS has a reputation as a high-quality, innovative sector leader, particularly in the delivery, development and design of evidence-informed, inclusive programming across a range of therapeutic, clinical and community-based settings.

In 2009, our LGBTIQA+ services and research expanded and Queerspace as a community-driven entity for LGBTIQA+ health and wellbeing support service was established. Queerspace provides wrap-around support for issues including mental health, relationships, family, parenting, mentoring, AOD, housing, family violence, criminal justice involvement and disability support across all ages. Our staff reflect the intersectional identities of the individuals, families and communities we support. Our services are offered face-to-face and online from a range of co-located sites across Victoria.

Trans Rights are Human Rights

Transphobia and Nazism are not acceptable. We stand in solidarity with the Trans community and allies in working towards a more inclusive and accepting society.

Drummond Street Services supports those who protested the far right on Saturday to take a stand against transphobic UK activist Kellie-Jay Keen aka “Posie Parker”, and her Nazi sympathisers.

We condemn the excessive use of force by the Victorian Police on trans rights activists, including the heavy use of pepper spray on young trans teenagers who were standing up for themselves against fascists and neo-Nazis who were signalling Hitler in salute and holding up transphobic banners.

It is important to recognise and condemn transphobia and all forms of discrimination and bigotry. We all deserve to be treated with respect and dignity, regardless of our gender or other marginalised identities.

We commit to working together to create a world where human rights are respected and everyone can feel safe and accepted.

Trans Day of Remembrance – We can’t wait ‘til it’s too late!

As Trans Day of Remembrance is fast approaching, we want to send our love, solidarity, and support to the many amazing trans folk and a special call out to Trans Women who have been targeted with misogynistic hate recently.

At Queerspace/ Drummond Street, we see firsthand how this plays out via our clients and peers, we want to say we see you; we are here for you and stand with you. Keep fighting.

As we remember the trans people lost to transphobia and discrimination this Sunday, let’s not wait until it’s too late and stand with our Trans friends, families and loved ones today.

Karen Field, CEO of Drummond Street Services, said

“We can’t stand by while the incredible trans folk we say we love and care for are being targeted.  The LGBTIQA+ communities have a long history of struggle, and we must enact that sense of solidarity at this time!  The far-right politicians’ hate speech is bad enough; let’s not add to it and stamp it out before we lose any more of our Trans loved ones.”

Drummond Street Services Introduces Code QR System to Carlton site to guide people with visual impairment

Drummond Street Services is excited to announce that we have recently introduced ‘Navilens’ codes to Drummond Street’s Carlton office for people who are blind/visually impaired to aid in navigating the building/space. If this is successful, we will roll them out across our sites.

Navilens is a QR code system that reads out signage from a distance when scanned using the ‘Navilens’ App.

Drummond Street Services CEO Karen Field said: “We pride ourselves on inclusivity but know there is always room for improvement, so we are excited to trial this system in the hope of becoming more accessible to those with visual impairment. ”

To find out more about how to use and download Navilens, follow this link: https://www.navilens.com/en/#main-section.