Community leaders, advocates and service providers will gather at Brisbane's Gabba on 30 October for the free 2026 Carswell Forum, a full-day event focused on safety, services and practical priorities for LGBTQIA+ Sistergirl and Brotherboy communities across Queensland.

Essential Takeaways

  • Free but ticketed: The forum runs from 8.30am to 4pm at the Gabba's Legends Room.
  • Broad agenda: Discussions will cover safety, discrimination, healthcare, support services and regional access.
  • Community-led focus: Organisers want lived experience and sector expertise to shape future priorities.
  • A meaningful name: The event honours HIV and AIDS activist and human rights advocate Phil Carswell OAM.
  • Registration matters: Community organisations, activists and service providers can book through the event's Eventbrite page.

A full day focused on practical change

The Carswell Forum is returning to Brisbane with a clear purpose: to turn community knowledge into useful action. The free event will bring together advocates, researchers, government representatives and frontline organisations, creating a rare room where policy conversations can meet everyday experience.

That mix matters because challenges aren't evenly distributed. People living in rural, regional and remote Queensland can face longer journeys to services, fewer specialist providers and greater isolation. The forum's agenda is designed to keep those realities visible rather than treating Brisbane as the whole picture.

What the 2026 Carswell Forum will examine

Organisers say the programme will address community safety, discrimination, access to appropriate support and Queensland's changing policy environment. It will also look at the experiences of Sistergirl and Brotherboy people, alongside the work already being delivered by LGBTQIA+ organisations around the state.

The event builds on the inaugural forum, which explored issues including domestic, family and sexual violence, racism, mental health, inclusive healthcare and community cohesion. Those subjects can be difficult, but a forum that avoids the awkward questions probably isn't doing much useful work.

According to Brisbane Pride, the aim is not simply to list problems. It is to identify priorities that organisations and decision-makers can carry into the year ahead.

Why lived experience sits at the centre

The Queensland LGBTQIA+ Alliance says the forum will place member services and community leadership at the heart of the discussion. That approach reflects a wider shift towards designing services with communities, rather than making decisions for them from a distance.

It also gives smaller and community-controlled organisations a chance to showcase projects that may not receive much attention outside their local area. As the Alliance has noted, local knowledge can reveal gaps in safety and wellbeing support long before they appear in official figures.

For attendees, the value may be as practical as the formal sessions. A conversation over coffee, a new referral connection or a better understanding between services can make a noticeable difference once people return to their day jobs.

A forum shaped by Phil Carswell's legacy

The event is named for Phil Carswell OAM, whose work in HIV and AIDS activism and human rights advocacy helped establish the importance of affected communities leading conversations about their own lives.

That legacy gives the forum a distinctive tone. It isn't only a memorial gesture; it's a reminder that progress usually depends on people continuing to organise, challenge poor decisions and keep showing up when attention has moved elsewhere.

The first Carswell Forum, held in 2025, provided a platform for discussions about intersex rights and other community concerns, reinforcing the event's role as a space for frank, informed debate. The second gathering is expected to build on those connections rather than start from scratch.

How to attend the Brisbane event

The 2026 Carswell Forum will be held on Friday, 30 October, from 8.30am to 4pm in the Legends Room on Level 5 of the Hyundai Centre at the Gabba. It is aimed particularly at community organisations, service providers and activists, although anyone eligible to participate should check the booking details before travelling.

Registration is free through 2026CarswellForum.eventbrite.com.au. It's worth booking early, especially for those coming from outside Brisbane, as a free ticket can still be limited by venue capacity and catering numbers.

The forum's organisers also encourage prospective attendees to use Brisbane Pride and Queensland LGBTQIA+ Alliance channels for updates. Policies and event details can shift, so checking the official listings before setting off is the sensible final step.

A strong forum won't solve every issue in one day, but it can help decide what deserves attention next.

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