今日吃瓜

THE聽Australian House of Representatives could聽have its first openly-gay MP聽if the Labor Party鈥檚 new candidate for the Brisbane electorate Pat O鈥橬eill is successful in the next Federal Election.

Late last month O鈥橬eill, who is a serving army major, defeated former Brisbane City Council candidate Philip Anthony in a preselection battle for the seat currently held by Liberal-National MP Teresa Gambaro with聽a margin of 1.13 per cent.

[showads聽ad=MREC]While the聽Senate already welcomed its first openly-gay member decades ago, that milestone is yet to be achieved in Federal Parliament’s lower house.聽34-year-old O’Neill believes the聽societal views and personal politics that can dominate elections for lower house MPs聽have all contributed towards聽this.

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 a reflection of society. We鈥檝e seen support for marriage equality, which hasn鈥檛 always had popular support and now is overwhelmingly supported. So I think running as someone who is openly gay in the past would have had an impact on people鈥檚 [voting] decision,鈥� O鈥橬eill told the Star Observer.

鈥淎s a society we鈥檝e come so far just in recognising that everybody should have the same opportunities and that people from all different backgrounds and experiences can contribute to Australian life and its politics.

鈥淚n terms of the lower house maybe it鈥檚 been something that LGBTI people have felt that they couldn鈥檛 do or were excluded from.鈥�

A difference in voting styles, preferences and systems has also had an impact on that difference between openly-gay politicians in the lower and upper houses.

鈥淎 whole state is voting for a senator whilst a much more nuanced group of voters elect their local members,” O’Neill said.

“People tend to vote for parties in the Senate as opposed to individuals in the lower house, at least that鈥檚 what I鈥檝e found.鈥�

Growing up in the northern Queensland town of Baralaba, which is 鈥渉alfway between Banana and Dingo鈥� 鈥� a combination of words O鈥橬eill seemingly delights in repeating 鈥� awareness of his sexuality was something that dawned on the Labor candidate at a young age.

鈥淚 worked things out extremely early and there was never a time and I don鈥檛 have a particular story about when I first realised,” O’Neill said.

“I just knew and I have very distinct memories of being very aware of the language that people used about gay people.鈥�

That derogatory language used around him, including from his father, influenced O鈥橬eill early on to keep his sexuality a secret. It was only until the age of 27 and the start of a new relationship when being open about what he really was became a reality. By that stage, family and friends had become more open-minded and supportive.

鈥淭hose things do stick with you and I think they have an effect on people coming out, whether you鈥檙e gay or you鈥檙e a woman, there鈥檚 sometimes an audible bias that people don鈥檛 realise the power of the words that they say,” O’Neill said.

“They mightn鈥檛 have meaning for the people saying them but for the people that are listening it definitely has an impact.

鈥淏ut you do kind of forget the thoughts that you have as a kid that [being gay] is something you can鈥檛 be open about with your friends or your family that must be inherently bad for people to use that language they did.鈥�

Although he stated聽he was not a 鈥渙ne-issue person鈥�, O鈥橬eill is an advocate for marriage equality and believes the significant lack of action on the issue for years has been the fault of politicians on聽both sides.

鈥淚 respect that people do have different beliefs but I think there鈥檚 something more important that we be a country that treats people fairly,” O’Neill said.

鈥淓quality is the bedrock issue of the [Labor] party whether it鈥檚 income inequality, gender discrimination or marriage equality. Equality is what defines us and it shouldn鈥檛 matter what the specific issue is.

鈥淚鈥檓 disappointed that previous leaders and Prime Ministers haven鈥檛 had that belief that I have in equality being at the core of the Labor party and of Australia and Australians.鈥�

O鈥橬eill expressed disappointment that Labor was unable to bind its members to a vote in favour of聽marriage equality until 2019 at , but hopes Prime Minister Tony Abbott 鈥渄oes the right thing鈥� to bring about marriage equality before Christmas.

鈥淚鈥檇 like both Labor and Liberal parties to bind on marriage equality but obviously one is more likely than the other. But if the Liberal party was actually serious about representing all Australians and having them treated with equality and respect, they would bind in support of marriage equality. It鈥檚 just not a conscience issue for any party,鈥� O’Neill said.

鈥淚 hope the issue is brought to a head before Christmas as the longer we leave it and don鈥檛 bring about marriage equality, the more harm it does to the LGBTI community and negatively impacts on their wellbeing.

“But I can鈥檛 control Tony Abbott, I just hope he does the right thing.鈥�