KINGSTON councillors have agreed to let council’s Rainbow Tick accreditation lapse, citing high costs and failure to add “significant value”. At their most recent public meeting, councillors voted to “not renew or seek further Rainbow Tick accreditation but provide Kingston Council specific initiatives and services to achieve connection, belonging and safety for all community members and staff.”
Council estimates that accreditation process would require an ongoing investment of nearly $17,000 every three years in reaccreditation fees for its customer and corporate support and youth services departments.
Councillor Chris Hill, who supported council’s decision to undertake Rainbow Tick accreditation in 2021, said “evaluation of the accreditation process found that it was resource intensive and costly, with a significant ongoing investment for reaccreditation every three years.” “It was found not to add significant value to the ongoing inclusive practices demonstrated by the youth services team and the accreditation standards were not fit for council and did not allow for consultation and personalisation,” he said.
Cr Tess Law sung the praises of the Rainbow Tick’s benefits, but ultimately supported the decision to not renew it. “Rainbow Tick accreditation is a symbol of our unwavering commitment to inclusivity, safety, and respect for our LGBTQIA+ community,” Law said. “While the Rainbow Tick is a valuable tool it is essential to recognise other frameworks that promote inclusivity. The Diversity Council Of Australia offers some resources to help organisations foster inclusive cultures and similarly the Workplace Gender Equality Agency has new obligations for organisations to report on equality in the workplace. These frameworks complement rather than replace the Rainbow Tick but ultimately serve the same purpose for the public.”
Cr Law noted that the rate of LGBTQIA+ people in Kingston was substantially higher than in the rest of the state. “These trends maintain the importance of maintaining inclusive practices that represent our communities’ diversity. Kingston City Council supports all gender identities and sexual orientation and fundamentally upholds the value of safety in our workplaces, schools, community groups and neighbourhoods.”
The motion read that council would “note the achievement of Rainbow Tick accreditation for customer and corporate support and youth services in February 2024” and “note the staff evaluation of the Rainbow Tick Accreditation value and benefit.”
Councillor Caroline White unsuccessfully proposed a late addition to the motion. Her failed amendment read that council “commission an officer report, which details all current and future LGBQTIA+ programs, initiatives, plans and relationships with external entities and organisations.” The report would have listed associated costs “including but not limited to staff, consultants, and hours spent by council officers”, and would have been due back by July 2025.
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 11 June 2025