The Tasmanian Greens believe in a just, tolerant and fair society that provides equal opportunity to all people. It is the right of every individual to live with dignity, free from discrimination.

The Greens will ensure that acceptance of difference amongst individuals is directly encouraged and supported, particularly by the media and education systems.

We recognise the need for strong, independent, publicly funded bodies to oversee the accountability of public institutions and corporations, and will support a range of organisations to increase accountability in public areas.  

The Greens will maintain a strong Anti-Discrimination Act and legislate to provide equality for all Tasmanians under the law, regardless of race, gender, marital status, sexuality, religious belief, political affiliation, disability, age or culture, with all Tasmanians having an equal right to access legal services.  

The Greens believe that homosexuality, heterosexuality and bisexuality are all legitimate aspects of human sexuality and we support the right of all people to live as the gender with which they identify.  

The Greens do not support the decriminalisation or legalisation of any illicit drugs.

Measures  

Child Abuse: continue to investigate the nature and extent of past abuse of children and recommend further legal and compensatory action; alter legislation, regulation and government departmental practices to prevent child abuse in the future  

Whistleblowers: extend and upgrade current legal protection given to those who legitimately report the improper or illegal activities of governments, government departments, non government organisations and private corporations, retrospectively where necessary

Drugs Use: support strong criminal penalties, including imprisonment, for the supply of illicit drugs and the possession of illicit drugs above quantities consistent with personal use; introduce disincentives for the personal use of illicit drugs to include diversion programs, compulsory treatment, education programs and penalties

Public Protection:  legislate to prevent corporations from initiating litigation designed to dissuade or prevent participation in public debate  

Same Sex Marriage: remove all discrimination against people on the basis of their sexuality by providing lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual and intersex people with access to the same cultural and legal institutions as other Tasmanians, including the institution of marriage  

Lesbian, Gay, Transgender, Bisexual and Intersex:   ensure that any state laws or regulations which discriminate against gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex people are repealed, and legislate to give legal status and rights to same gender partnerships  

Anti-Corruption:  create an independent commission against corruption to investigate substantial allegations of corruption and impropriety  

Public Protection:  ensure an Ombudsman funded independently of the Department of Justice and detached from it; create a separate, independently resourced office of the Medical Complaints Commissioner;  create a Disability Services Commission to investigate and report on the coverage, effectiveness and standards of disability services

Prison Reform:  legislate to give the fundamental democratic right to vote in elections to all people serving custodial sentences; establish an independent inspectorate of prisons, responsible to Parliament, with the capacity to conduct unannounced visits to all custodial institutions in Tasmania, and make recommendations to Parliament regarding reform; fund comprehensive prisoner reintegration programs and community based correction services to reduce prisoner numbers and provide non-custodial sentencing options for judges and magistrates  

Income Based Fines: investigate means of linking the size of traffic fines to the income of the payee, creating a greater disincentive for high-income earners to transgress