Minister for Equality (Victoria)

Last updated

Minister for Equality of Victoria
Coat of Arms of Victoria.svg
Victorian coat of arms
Flag of Victoria (Australia).svg
Flag of Victoria
Incumbent
Vicki Ward MP
since 19 December 2024
Style The Honourable
Member of Parliament
Executive council
Reports to Premier
NominatorPremier
Appointer Governor
on the recommendation of the premier
Term length At the governor's pleasure
Inaugural holder Martin Foley MP
Formation4 December 2014

The Minister for Equality is a minister within the Executive Council of Victoria. The position is currently held by Vicki Ward, and has been since December of 2024. [1] [2] The Minister is charged with leading the equality portfolio, alongside the Commissioner for LGBTIQA+ Communities, and is assisted by both a Ministerial Taskforce, and the Equality Unit within the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing. [1] The aim of the Minister and the portfolio they oversee is to "remov[e] discrimination from Victorian laws, services and society...", and to "promot[e] inclusion and celebrat[e] diversity" of LGBTIQA+ peoples. [1] The position was created at the same time as the First Andrews ministry following the 2014 state election, with the inaugural leader being Martin Foley. [3] It is the first position of its kind in any Australian state or territory. [4]

Contents

History

Ahead of the 2014 Victorian state election, then Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews promised to establish a Minister for LGBTI+ peoples, a Commissioner for gender and sexuality, and a Ministerial Advisory Committee. [5]

The position of Minister for Equality was established as one of the new ministries established as a part of the First Andrews ministry on the 4th of December 2014. On the same day Martin Foley became the first person to hold the role. [3] [6] In July 2015, Martin Foley announced that Ro Allen would become the first Commissioner for LGBTIQ+ Communities, then the Commissioner for Gender and Sexuality. [7]

In June 2022, Martin Foley announced his decision not to recontest his electorate of Albert Park at the 2022 Victorian State election, and to step down from his portfolio positions, including as Minister for Equality. [8] As a result, Harriet Shing took over as Minister on the 27th of June 2022, becoming one of the two of the state's first openly queer Ministers, and the state's first openly Lesbian minister. [9] [10]

As a part of the December 2024 reshuffle of the Allan Ministry, the position of Minister for Equality was transferred from Harriet Shing to Vicki Ward. [11]

List of Ministers

OrderMinisterParty affiliationMinisterial titleTerm startTerm endTime in officePremier
1 Martin Foley MP [12] Labor Minister for Equality4 December 201427 June 20227 years, 205 days Daniel Andrews
2 Harriet Shing MLC [12] [13] 27 June 202219 December 20242 years, 175 days
Jacinta Allan
3 Vicki Ward MP [2] 19 December 2024Incumbent257 days

Reference list

  1. 1 2 3 "How we're working to achieve equality for LGBTIQA+ Victorians". www.vic.gov.au. 27 June 2025. Retrieved 1 September 2025.
  2. 1 2 Eddie, Rachel; Rooney, Kieran (19 December 2024). "Women win in Allan's cabinet reshuffle, as Pearson suffers a blow". The Age. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  3. 1 2 Press, Australian Associated (4 December 2014). "Premier Daniel Andrews and his Victorian Labor ministry sworn in". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 1 September 2025.
  4. ↑ "Statement From Martin Foley". www.premier.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 1 September 2025.
  5. ↑ Whitelaw, Farrah Tomazin and Anna (22 November 2014). "Victorian election 2014: Labor pledges gender and sexuality anti-discrimination commissioner". The Age. Retrieved 1 September 2025.
  6. ↑ "New Premier and His Cabinet". www.premier.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 1 September 2025.
  7. ↑ "Rowena Allen Is Victoria's First Gender And Sexuality Commissioner". www.premier.vic.gov.au. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 1 September 2025.
  8. ↑ "Andrews government facing frontbench exodus ahead of November election". ABC News. 23 June 2022. Retrieved 1 September 2025.
  9. ↑ Ilanbey, Sumeyya (27 June 2022). "'Not that long ago it was an offence for us to be who we are': State gets first openly gay ministers". The Age. Retrieved 1 September 2025.
  10. ↑ Thomas, Shibu (1 September 2022). "A Mandate For Equality: Harriet Shing Is The LGBTQI Voice In Cabinet". Star Observer. Retrieved 1 September 2025.
  11. ↑ Rooney, Rachel Eddie, Kieran (19 December 2024). "Allan shuffles the deck in hopes of a better hand in 2026". The Age. Retrieved 1 September 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. 1 2 Carr, Adam. "Victorian Ministries - Andrews". Psephos: Adam Carr's Election Archive. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  13. ↑ Wallace, Samual (19 October 2023). "Ministers of the Crown (per S 520)" (PDF). Victoria Government Gazette . Victorian Government Printer. p. 3. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.