On 18 May 2019 Lifeline Darling Downs and South West Queensland hosted Rainbow Connections at the Empire Theatre, Toowoomba.

Rainbow Connections was a free one day event promoting regional action on LGBTI+ issues.   

The event featured a number of local and interstate speakers including Ben Law, a well renowned author and creator of The Family Law an award winning TV series for SBS, and Georgie Stone the 2018 Victorian Young Australian of the Year who is due to appear on Neighbours later this year as the first transgender person playing a transgender role.

Other speakers included Rebekah Robertson, Daniel Witthaus, Nevo Zisin and Sally Morris.

Our Chief Executive Officer, Derek Tuffield OAM said at the time -

“We look forward to bringing Rainbow Connections to the Armitage Centre later this month. The event is about promoting inclusion and acceptance and helping to alleviate some of the challenges faced by the LGBTI+ community.  Statistics from the National LGBTI Health Alliance show that the mental health of LGBTI+ people is amongst the poorest in Australia and have the highest rates of suicidality of any population in the country.”