Why NSW’s LGBTI community needs an independent MP in parliament
Image: Sydney state independent MP Alex Greenwich.
I’M聽proud to be an openly-gay member of NSW Parliament and proud to聽represent an聽electorate with one of the highest number of same-sex couples and LGBTI residents in Australia.
I鈥檝e really enjoyed building links with MPs across the political spectrum to work together on advancing LGBTI law reform.
I see聽an important part of聽my role in State Parliament as vetting all legislation to ensure it does not negatively affect LGBTI communities and individuals, as well as promoting inner-city issues like strata reform, access to schools and childcare and protecting the environment.
I represent聽my聽constituents, not a political party, and聽I聽take action聽on what聽my community聽cares聽about.
I聽have a strong record聽over a number of years聽achieving reform for LGBTI聽people 鈥斅燼nd I am passionate about continuing this work.
My bill to remove private school exemptions from discrimination laws got the Board of Studies to investigate complaints and potentially deregister schools that are not inclusive for LGBTI students.
I am committed to reintroducing聽the bill聽with protections for teachers.
I have achieved state聽recognition of same-sex couples who marry overseas and will continue to work with the NSW Parliamentary LGBTI Cross Party Working Group聽on聽marriage equality.
I introduced legislation to allow trans* people to change their birth certificate without forced to go through聽a divorce, and I am committed to trans* and intersex law reform, including providing new options on birth certificates and聽removing surgery requirements to聽register a change聽of聽sex.聽These reforms need to be given priority and I鈥檒l be working with the various trans* groups, Organisation Intersex International (OII) Australia聽and Amnesty International.
I聽am not afraid聽to聽stand up for what is right. I have put forward motions聽condemning聽the World Congress of Families for promoting reparative therapy and聽the Australian Christian Lobby for stating that smoking is healthier than being gay.聽I also condemned the recent TV advertisements during Mardi Gras that denigrated same sex couple families.
I聽work聽to get outcomes,聽not to score political points. When Mike Baird became Premier,聽instead of focusing聽on his past record, my first question聽in parliament聽to聽him聽got聽a commitment聽to allow聽conscience聽votes聽on LGBTI-related bills.
In addition, in response to reports of heavy-handed policing during Mardi Gras 2013, I worked with the minister, police, advocates and the Ombudsman to improve policing聽of future events.
I have a strong working relationship with LGBTI advocates. I work closely with the media and have been successful getting mainstream coverage of issues that affect our community.I have proven that I can work with all parties and all levels of government to get an outcome.
I don鈥檛 do deals, I don鈥檛 swap preferences and I don鈥檛 accept donations that could compromise me.
Unlike party members, the issues I promote are not determined behind closed doors based on what is strategically beneficial.聽I am committed to my constituents,聽LGBTI communities and聽getting reforms that will achieve equality, justice, acceptance and inclusion.
Alex Greenwich is the Sydney state independent MP and one of the NSW Legislative Assembly’s two openly-gay MPs. Twitter:
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So bummed I’m no longer in Alex’s electorate. Always had my vote! Good luck on Saturday, Alex! <3
Alex has my vote, got his add on Grindr, still can’t find him on Grindr, what’s his Grindr name…….