Ballarat signs off on becoming a more inclusive city

Ballarat has taken a major step towards becoming a more welcoming city following the adoption of six major plans, strategies and frameworks. 

At Wednesday night’s City of Ballarat October council meeting, Council voted to endorse and adopt the: 

• Inclusion Framework 2022-26 

• LGBTIQA+ Inclusion Plan 2022-26 

• Intercultural Strategic Plan 2022-26 

• Disability Access & Inclusion Plan 2022-26 

• Youth Strategy 2022-26 

• Ageing Well in Ballarat Strategy 2022-26 and the 2022-24 Action Plan 

The initiatives were all presented as separate agenda items and were all approved  unanimously. 

The LGBTIQA+ Inclusion Plan, in particular, received immense public support in the council chamber with a packed gallery providing an extended round of applause when the motion was carried. 

Speaking in the chamber about the LGBTIQA+ Inclusion Plan, and the inclusion framework more broadly, City of Ballarat Mayor Cr Daniel Moloney labelled it a momentous night for the Council. 

“Every so often you get to do something that is actually really meaningful and steps the city forward in a giant way,” he said. 

“We are now a leader of inclusion and I’m really proud of my city.  

“I want to thank all of my councillor colleagues who have continued to demonstrate their inclusive support.  

“It is a team effort and this is really impressive seeing the cultural change that has been happening as an organisation and as a city. 

“It’s something that we, as Ballarat, should be incredibly proud of.” 

In April of this year, the City of Ballarat undertook a comprehensive community engagement project to inform Council’s work in a range of inclusion areas. 

The engagement process was two-phased and attempted to engage the general community and target the specific groups in the community who can face discrimination and exclusion. 

From this feedback, a range of strategic plans and a new framework outlined how the City of Ballarat would work towards inclusion. 

The plans, strategies and frameworks and strategies can all be seen below: 

• Inclusion Framework 2022-26 

• LGBTIQA+ Inclusion Plan 2022-26 

• Intercultural Strategic Plan 2022-26 

• Disability Access & Inclusion Plan 2022-26 

• Youth Strategy 2022-26 

• Ageing Well in Ballarat Strategy 2022-26 and the 2022-24 Action Plan