Joe Ball started work today as Victoria’s new LGBTIQA+ Commissioner and outlined his strategy on the role during an interview with the ABC’s Radio National.
Ball is the third person to hold the role since it was established in 2015 following in the footsteps of Ro Allen and Todd Fernando. Prior to taking up the role Ball was the CEO of Switchboard Victoria.
Speaking to Patricia Karvelas on ABC Radio National, Ball said his primary role is to listen to the needs of the LGBTIQA+ community and his role is not unlike the many other commissioners in the state who cover issues like pay, youth and Aboriginal people.
“I’m here to be an advocate for my community.” Ball said listing his priorities as the health and wellbeing of LGBTIQA+ Victorians and their families.
Ball said the government already had a 10-year strategy for improving people’s lives, and his challenges is to bring it from being on paper into being a reality. He also noted there are emerging issues within society that will also need to be addressed.
The shortage of PrEP medication is something he highlighted that is a growing concern both in Victoria and across Australia.
“We need to ensure that people are not going without this essential medication.” Ball said.
Karvelas also asked Ball if believed LGBTIQA+ couple’s access to IVF was also an area that needed to be pursued.
“I think it’s really important. We need to remember that it’s only since 2017 that same-sex couples have been able to be married, and there’s still lots of reform that we need to do around our families.” Ball said.
Ball said it was important to break down barriers which stop people from creating a family and remove any discrimination that exists.
Ball said he’d would be guided by his values of feminism and the right to bodily autonomy so that the politics of issues would be avoided.
Asked about controversies about transgender health care for youth Ball said it was important people remembered that Australia had an excellent health service, and it was different to health services in the UK and the USA.
“Conversations need to be had, but they need to be evidence based, and what we’re finding, time and time again, out of numerous reports, is that Australia is coming up over and over again with providing excellent healthcare in this space.
“I think a lot of the concerns that people have are imported concerns or outright lies and misconceptions. I just encourage people to get back to the facts about what is really happening.” Ball said.
