Australia: Redress LGBTI+ veterans forced out of service
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LGBTI+ personnel were discharged from Australia's military because of who they were. Veterans are seeking an apology, corrected records and redress. Sign now to help them.

David Gibson joined Australia's military after high school to serve his country. Years later, military police interrogated him about being bisexual, pressured him to name other people, isolated him from fellow officers and eventually discharged him.

He says the interrogation became so overwhelming that he made up information simply because he wanted it to end. After leaving the military, he carried the shame and trauma of what happened for decades and fell into a deep depression.

David was not alone.

For decades, LGBTI+ members of the Australian Defence Force could lose their careers because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Some were investigated, forced to resign or discharged. Others lost security clearances or faced criminal, administrative or medical action.

For those affected, the consequences could mean losing income, housing and career opportunities, alongside the personal impact of being told they were unfit to serve because of who they were.

Australia now has an opportunity to address that history.

Legislation before Parliament would allow convictions for historical homosexual service offences to be extinguished. But many LGBTI+ personnel were never convicted of an offence. They were pushed out through administrative or medical procedures instead.

A Senate committee has called for broader restorative measures, including correcting records, recognising honourable service and issuing a formal government apology.

LGBTI+ veterans are also calling for financial redress for people who suffered material losses because of these policies. Comparable schemes have already been established in Canada and the UK.

People who volunteered to serve Australia should not have lost their careers because of who they were. Australia can acknowledge what happened while also addressing consequences that some veterans still live with today.

Add your name to call on the Australian Government to apologise, correct the records of those affected and provide fair financial redress to LGBTI+ veterans harmed by past discrimination.

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Goal: 10,000

Prime Minister, Minister for Defence, Minister for Veterans' Affairs, and the Australian Government

For decades, Australian Defence Force personnel were investigated, punished, forced to resign or discharged because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Some lost careers, income and housing. Others were subjected to deeply intrusive investigations or left with military records that still reflect discriminatory decisions. The personal consequences have lasted long after the policies themselves ended.

The legislation currently before Parliament that would allow historical queer service convictions to be extinguished is an important opportunity to address part of this history. But convictions represent only some of the discrimination LGBTI+ personnel experienced.

Many people were instead subjected to administrative or medical processes, including forced resignation, administrative discharge and loss of security clearance.

The Senate committee examining these issues has recognised the need for broader restorative measures. We ask the Australian Government to act on that principle and ensure that people harmed through administrative and medical discrimination are not excluded simply because their treatment did not result in a criminal conviction.

We therefore ask the Australian Government to:

- Issue a formal national apology to LGBTI+ veterans and service personnel harmed by discriminatory Defence policies.
- Establish a fair financial redress scheme for those who suffered material harm, including loss of employment, income, housing or career opportunities.
- Allow records to be corrected or annotated where adverse action resulted from discrimination that would not violate today's laws or Defence policies.
- Provide appropriate recognition of honourable service to personnel whose careers were ended because of discriminatory policies.
- Ensure remedies cover criminal, administrative and medical discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

People who serve Australia are entitled to dignity, privacy and equal treatment under the law. Acknowledging past discrimination is important. Providing meaningful remedies for the harm it caused would give that acknowledgement practical effect.

0people have signed
Goal: 10,000

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