Brisbane Youth Service CEO, Pam Barker has been appointed to the Queensland LGBTQIA+ Roundtable, a key state government advisory body working to ensure Queensland’s services, policies, and programs are inclusive of people with diverse genders, sexualities, and innate variations of sex characteristics.
Pam brings deep expertise to the Roundtable, having previously served as CEO of Open Doors Youth Service, and as National Program Manager for ACON’s Pride in Health + Wellbeing programs, where she led the implementation of the Health + Wellbeing Equality Index (HWEI) – Australia’s benchmark for LGBTQIA+ inclusion in health and wellbeing services.
Her appointment is a recognition of both her personal advocacy and BYS’s longstanding commitment to supporting LGBTQIA+ young people, who continue to face disproportionately high rates of homelessness, violence, and mental health challenges.
“Every young person deserves to feel safe, respected, and like they belong.” Pam said.
“But when home isn’t safe or young people experience discrimination, that sense of belonging is fractured.
“Through the Roundtable, I’ll work to ensure their experiences shape the systems meant to support them.”
For many LGBTQIA+ young people, homelessness can be the result of family rejection, violence, or discrimination after coming out or expressing their identity.
In 2023–24, LGBTQIA+ young people made up one in four of those supported by BYS.1
Among them, 82% had experienced family violence, 41% physical assault, and 23% sexual assault.2
National data shows LGBTQIA+ people experience homelessness at more than double the rate of the general population.3
The Roundtable, convened by Minister Amanda Camm and administered by the Department of Families, Seniors, Disability Services and Child Safety, comprises representatives from LGBTQIA+ communities and organisations, as well as key government agencies.
Members are appointed for a two-year term and work to identify strategic priorities, discuss emerging issues, and provide feedback on government initiatives.
Pam’s appointment ensures the lived experiences of LGBTQIA+ young people are represented in state-level advocacy and policy, helping shape a Queensland where every person, regardless of identity, can feel safe, supported, and seen.
References
- Brisbane Youth Service. (2024). 2023-24 BYS intake data.
- Brisbane Youth Service. (2024). Lived and Living Experiences of DFSV Among LGBTQIAP+SB Young People.
- Australian Human Rights Commission. (2025). Statistics about LGBTIQA+ rights. Retrieved from https://humanrights.gov.au/education/stats-facts/statistics-about-LGBTIQA-rights