Report: Historical Repair for LGBTIQA+ Communities

The report examines Victoria’s history of criminalisation, discriminatory policing, violence, and institutional prejudice directed at LGBTIQA+ communities. It also outlines practical options for truth-telling, redress, memorialisation, and reform.

The report was launched at the former City Watch House at Old Melbourne Gaol alongside Bending the Bars, an immersive exhibition centring the lived experiences of LGBTIQA+ people who were historically criminalised under Victoria’s former laws.

Its release comes at an important time for Victoria. The Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into Anti-LGBTIQA+ Hate Crimes is now considering how the state should respond to contemporary anti-LGBTIQA+ violence. This report adds an important historical lens to that work. It argues that current harms cannot be fully addressed without acknowledging the institutional legacies that shaped mistrust, under-reporting, and unequal treatment in the first place.

The report emerged from a 2025 roundtable convened with leading advocates, legal experts, policymakers, and community stakeholders. Speakers at the launch included Victorian Commissioner for LGBTIQA+ Communities Joe Ball, veteran human rights activist Jamie Gardiner, and Nick Stewart, President of Australian Lawyers for Human Rights.

Download the full report, produced by RMIT University School of Law at the link above.