List of LGBTI holders of political offices in Australia
This is a list of LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) holders of political offices in Australia.[1][2] Currently and historically there are no intersex parliamentarians, although Tony Briffa is known as the world's first openly intersex mayor[3] and "first known intersex public office-bearer in the Western world",[4] having served as Deputy Mayor of the City of Hobsons Bay between 2009–2011 and Mayor between 2011–2012.[3][4][5][6]
Federal parliament[]
Member | Portrait | Party | Seat | Term in Office | Key Positions Held | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Neil Brown[7] | ![]() |
Liberal | Member for Diamond Valley | 25 October 1969 | 2 December 1972 |
|
Came out in 1996. |
13 December 1975 | 5 March 1983 | ||||||
Member for Menzies | 1 December 1984 | 25 February 1991 | |||||
Neal Blewett[8] | ![]() |
Labor | Member for Bonython | 10 December 1977 | 11 February 1994 |
|
Came out in 2000. |
Bob Brown[9] | ![]() |
Greens | Senator for Tasmania | 1 July 1996 | 15 June 2012 |
|
First openly gay party leader, Senator, and parliamentarian. |
Brian Greig[10] | ![]() |
Democrats | Senator for Western Australia | 1 July 1999 | 30 June 2005 |
|
|
Penny Wong[11] | ![]() |
Labor | Senator for South Australia | 1 July 2002 | incumbent |
|
First openly gay member of cabinet. |
Louise Pratt[12] | ![]() |
Labor | Senator for Western Australia | 1 July 2008 | 30 June 2014 | ||
2 July 2016 | incumbent | ||||||
Dean Smith[13] | Liberal | Senator for Western Australia | 2 May 2012 | incumbent | |||
Janet Rice[14] | ![]() |
Greens | Senator for Victoria | 1 July 2014 | incumbent | ||
Robert Simms[15] | ![]() |
Greens | Senator for South Australia | 22 September 2015 | 2 July 2016 | ||
Trent Zimmerman[16] | ![]() |
Liberal | Member for North Sydney | 5 December 2015 | incumbent | First openly gay member of the House of Representatives. | |
Trevor Evans[17] | ![]() |
Liberal | Member for Brisbane | 2 July 2016 | incumbent |
|
First openly gay man appointed to the ministry. |
Julian Hill[18] | ![]() |
Labor | Member for Bruce | 2 July 2016 | incumbent | ||
Tim Wilson[18] | ![]() |
Liberal | Member for Goldstein | 2 July 2016 | incumbent | ||
Kerryn Phelps[19] | ![]() |
Independent | Member for Wentworth | 20 October 2018 | 18 May 2019 | First openly gay female member of the House of Representatives. | |
Angie Bell[20] | Liberal | Member for Moncrieff | 18 May 2019 | incumbent |
Tasmania[]
- Former:
- Bob Brown (Independent Green) - 1983-1993[9]
- Alison Standen (Labor) - 2018-2021[21]
- Historic firsts:
New South Wales[]
Legislative Council[]
- Current:
- Penny Sharpe (Labor) - 2005[22]
- Don Harwin (Liberals) - 2011[23] [Came out: 2014]
- Shayne Mallard (Liberals) - 2015[24]
- Mark Pearson (Animal Justice Party) - 2015[25]
- Former:
- Michael Yabsley (Liberals) - 1984-1994 [26] [Came out: 2020]
- Paul O'Grady (Labor) - 1988-1996[27] [Came out: 1990]
- Michael Egan (Labor) - 1986-2005[28] [Came out: 1995]
- Helen Westwood (Labor) - 2007-2015[29]
Legislative Assembly[]
- Current:
- Alex Greenwich (Independent) - 2012[30]
- Former:
- Michael Egan (Labor) - 1978-1984[28]
- Tony Doyle (Labor) - 1985-1994[31] [Came out: 1994]
- Bruce Notley-Smith (Liberal) - 2011-2019[32]
Western Australia[]
Legislative Council[]
- Current:
- Lynn MacLaren (Greens) - 2005; 2009[33]
- Stephen Dawson (Labor) - 2013[34]
- Former:
- Giz Watson (Greens) - 1997-2013[35]
- Louise Pratt (Labor) - 2001-2007[36]
Legislative Assembly[]
- Current:
- Lisa Baker (Labor) - 2008[37]
- John Carey (Labor) - 2017[38]
- Former:
Victoria[]
- Current:
- Harriet Shing (Labor) - 2014[40]
- Former:
- Andrew Olexander (Liberal) - 1999-2006[41]
South Australia[]
Legislative Council[]
- Current:
- Ian Hunter (Labor) - 2006[42]
- Former:
- Don Dunstan (Labor) - 1953-1979[43]
- Kelly Vincent (Dignity) - 2010-2018[44]
- Historic Firsts:
- Premier: Don Dunstan (Labor) - 1967
Australian Capital Territory[]
- Current:
- Andrew Barr (Labor) - 2006[45]
- Chris Steel (Labor) - 2016[46]
- Suzanne Orr (Labor) - 2016[47]
- Historic firsts:
- Government minister: Andrew Barr (Labor) - 2006[45]
- Chief Minister: Andrew Barr (Labor) - 2014[45]
Northern Territory[]
Current:
- Chansey Paech (Labor) - 2016[48]
Officeholders:
- Leader of the Opposition: Jodeen Carney (Liberal) - (2005)
- Speaker of the Assembly: Chansey Paech (Labor) - (2020)
See also[]
References[]
- ^ "Where your MP stands on Marriage Equality".
- ^ corporateName=Commonwealth Parliament; address=Parliament House, Canberra. "Senators and Members". www.aph.gov.au.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
- ^ a b "Intersex Mayor Elected in Australia". Advocate.com. 9 December 2011.
- ^ a b "Briffa to march in mayoral robes". Star Observer. 8 December 2011.
- ^ "Tony Briffa Of Australia's City Of Hobsons Bay Becomes World's First Intersex Mayor". The Huffington Post. 10 December 2011.
- ^ "World's first intersex mayor, Cr Tony Briffa does not want to be called he or she". Herald Sun. 15 April 2013.
- ^ "The rise of LGBTIQ politicians". Election Watch - Australia 2016. 1 July 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ "Why politicians are well within their rights to sue journalists". Crikey. 29 January 2015. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ a b c "Bob Brown | Australian politician". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ "The day a gay WA polly took a stand in Parliament". The West Australian. 17 November 2017. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ Belonksy, Andrew (5 December 2007). "Aussie Lesbian Makes Political History". www.queerty.com. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ "Pratt mum on her next role". The West Australian. 25 May 2014. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ Hooton, Amanda (14 December 2017). "Same-sex marriage's unlikely hero: Liberal Dean Smith, the 'invisible man'". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ corporateName=Commonwealth Parliament; address=Parliament House, Canberra. "Senator Janet Rice". www.aph.gov.au. Retrieved 17 February 2019.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
- ^ Ireland, Judith (13 October 2015). "New senator Robert Simms talks of struggle to come out". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ Butler, Josh (11 April 2016). "There's More To Trent Zimmerman Than Being A Gay Liberal In The House Of Reps". Huffington Post. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ Andree Withey (31 July 2017). "Queensland's first openly gay MP wants same-sex marriage vote now". ABC News. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ a b Reynolds, Andrew (15 October 2018). The Children of Harvey Milk. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780190460952.
- ^ Feller, Jennifer (3 December 2018). "How a celebrity doctor became one of the most powerful women in Canberra". ABC News. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ "Gay LNP federal election 2019 candidate Angie Bell hopes to make history in blue ribbon seat". ABC News. 15 May 2019. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
- ^ "Family first for ALP's first openly gay Tasmanian candidate Alison Standen". www.news.com.au. 8 October 2017. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ Nicholls, Sean (19 October 2014). "Labor candidate for Newtown Penny Sharpe takes the wraps off her family". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ Hasham, Nicole (20 November 2014). "Liberal MP Don Harwin discloses he is gay". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ Brook, Benedict (6 May 2015). "Marriage equality "not the be all and end all" says new gay NSW Liberal MP". Star Observer. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ "NSW's newest gay MP supports marriage equality but won't be heading down the aisle". Star Observer. 29 May 2015. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ "'I lived with a lot of denial': Former politician Michael Yabsley's new life". 5 June 2020.
- ^ Nicholls, Sean (18 January 2015). "First openly gay state MP Paul O'Grady dies in Sydney". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ a b "Outed MP not alone: 1 in 5 men gay". www.dailytelegraph.com.au. 21 May 2010. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ "NSW gay marriage bill fails by one vote". www.dailytelegraph.com.au. 14 November 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ "First gay MP for Sydney equality". www.dailytelegraph.com.au. 3 November 2012. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ "Retiring MPs - NSW Votes 2011 - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". www.abc.net.au. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ "Southeast Liberals high hopes for Malcolm". www.dailytelegraph.com.au. 23 September 2015. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ "Lynn MacLaren – Same-Sex Marriage Bill in WA Reaches First Milestone | Australian Marriage Equality". Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ "Gay couple first to marry in ACT". www.heraldsun.com.au. 6 December 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ Southern, ABC Great (24 June 2016). "Politicians agree to disagree on same-sex marriage plebiscite". ABC News. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ "Louise Pratt". www.alp.org.au. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ Andrew O'Connor (23 September 2015). "Passionate plea for marriage equality in WA Parliament". ABC News. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ McNeill, Heather (14 December 2017). "'Being gay just feels normal here': Perth's most popular suburbs for same sex couples to live revealed". WAtoday. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ Hyde, John, ed. (2008). John Hyde MLA, Member for Perth. Perth, W.A: John Hyde.
- ^ Riley, Benjamin (28 January 2015). "Shorten creating federal LGBTI portfolio could encourage new LGBTI MPs: rights lobby". Star Observer. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ Mckenzie, Nick (29 November 2005). "Victorian Libs oust Olexander". ABC News (Australia) PM. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
- ^ "Hunter first MP in gay marriage". www.adelaidenow.com.au. 20 January 2012. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ "First biography since Don Dunstan's death reveals his double life drove him to resign". www.adelaidenow.com.au. 8 May 2014. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
- ^ lauredhel (8 April 2010). "Quickhit: Kelly Vincent elected to Upper House in South Australia!". Hoyden About Town. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ a b c McIlroy, Tom (5 December 2014). "Andrew Barr set to become Australia's first openly gay state or territory leader". Canberra Times. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ Burgess, Katie (13 December 2016). "Second gay ACT parliamentarian Chris Steel tips hat to chief minister Andrew Barr for paving the way". Canberra Times. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ "It's not just a survey, it's personal - HerCanberra.com.au". hercanberra.com.au. 8 October 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
- ^ "Chansey Paech is Australia's first gay, Indigenous parliamentarian". Topics. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
Categories:
- LGBT politicians from Australia
- Lists of Australian people
- Lists of LGBT politicians
- Lists of Australian politicians