List of LGBTQ 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 known 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

Name	Image	Party		Seat	Term in Office		Notes
Don Dobie [7]			Liberal	Member for Hughes	26 November 1966	25 October 1969
				Member for Cook	25 October 1969	2 December 1972
					13 December 1975	29 January 1996
Neil Brown [8]			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 [9]			Labor	Member for Bonython	10 December 1977	11 February 1994	Came out in 2000
Colin Hollis [10]			Labor	Member for Macarthur	5 March 1983	1 December 1984
				Member for Throsby	1 December 1984	8 October 2001
Bob Brown [11]			Greens	Senator for Tasmania	1 July 1996	15 June 2012
Brian Greig [12]			Democrats	Senator for Western Australia	1 July 1999	30 June 2005
Penny Wong [13]			Labor	Senator for South Australia	1 July 2002	incumbent
Louise Pratt [14]			Labor	Senator for Western Australia	1 July 2008	30 June 2014
					2 July 2016	incumbent
Dean Smith [15]			Liberal	Senator for Western Australia	2 May 2012	incumbent
Janet Rice [16]			Greens	Senator for Victoria	1 July 2014	19 April 2024
Robert Simms [17]			Greens	Senator for South Australia	22 September 2015	2 July 2016
Trent Zimmerman [18]			Liberal	Member for North Sydney	5 December 2015	23 May 2022
Trevor Evans [19]			Liberal	Member for Brisbane	2 July 2016	23 May 2022
Julian Hill [20]			Labor	Member for Bruce	2 July 2016	incumbent
Tim Wilson [20]			Liberal	Member for Goldstein	2 July 2016	23 May 2022
Kerryn Phelps [21]			Independent	Member for Wentworth	20 October 2018	18 May 2019
Angie Bell [22]			Liberal	Member for Moncrieff	18 May 2019	incumbent
Nita Green [23]			Labor	Senator for Queensland	1 July 2019	incumbent
Stephen Bates [24]			Greens	Member for Brisbane	28 May 2022	incumbent

Tasmania

• Former:
  • Bob Brown (Independent Green) – 1983–1993 ^[11]
  • Alison Standen (Labor) – 2018–2021 ^[25]
• Historic firsts:
  • Party leader: Bob Brown (Greens) – 1989–1993 ^[11]

New South Wales

Legislative Council

• Current:
  • Penny Sharpe (Labor) – 2005 ^[26]
  • Chris Rath (Liberal) – 2022 ^[27]
  • Amanda Cohn (Greens) – 2023 ^[28]
  • Jacqui Munro (Liberal) – 2023 ^[29]

• Former:
  • Michael Yabsley (Liberal) – 1984–1994 ^[30] [Came out: 2020]
  • Paul O'Grady (Labor) – 1988–1996 ^[31] [Came out: 1990]
  • Michael Egan (Labor) – 1986–2005 ^[32] [Came out: 1995]
  • Helen Westwood (Labor) – 2007–2015 ^[33]
  • Don Harwin (Liberal) – 2011–2022 ^[34] [Came out: 2014]
  • Shayne Mallard (Liberal) – 2015–2023 ^[35]
  • Mark Pearson (Animal Justice) – 2015–2023 ^[36]

Legislative Assembly

• Current:
  • Alex Greenwich (Independent) – 2012 ^[37]
• Former:
  • Michael Egan (Labor) – 1978–1984 ^[32]
  • Tony Doyle (Labor) – 1985–1994 ^[38] [Came out: 1994]
  • Bruce Notley-Smith (Liberal) – 2011–2019 ^[39]

Western Australia

Legislative Council

• Current:
  • Stephen Dawson (Labor) – 2013 ^[40]
  • Peter Foster (Labor) – 2021 ^[41]
• Former:
  • Giz Watson (Greens) – 1997–2013 ^[42]
  • Lynn MacLaren (Greens) – 2005, 2009–2017 ^[43]
  • Louise Pratt (Labor) – 2001–2007 ^[44]

Legislative Assembly

• Current
  • Stuart Aubrey (Labor) – 2021 ^[45]
  • Lisa Baker (Labor) – 2008 ^[46]
  • John Carey (Labor) – 2017 ^[47]
• Former:
  • John Hyde (Labor) – 2001–2013 ^[48]

Victoria

Legislative Council

• Current:
  • Harriet Shing (Labor) – 2014 ^[49]
  • Joe McCracken (Liberal) – 2022 ^[50]
  • Aiv Puglielli (Greens) – 2022 ^[51]

• Former:
  • Andrew Olexander (Liberal) – 1999–2006 ^[52]

Legislative Assembly

• Current:
  • Steve Dimopoulos (Labor) – 2014 ^[53]
  • Gabrielle de Vietri (Greens) – 2022 ^[54]

South Australia

Legislative Council

• Current:
  • Ian Hunter (Labor) – 2006 ^[55]
• Former:
  • Don Dunstan (Labor) – 1953–1979 ^[56]
  • Kelly Vincent (Dignity) – 2010–2018 ^[57]
• Historic Firsts:
  • Premier: Don Dunstan (Labor) – 1967

Australian Capital Territory

• Current:
  • Andrew Barr (Labor) – 2006 ^[58]
  • Chris Steel (Labor) – 2016 ^[59]
  • Suzanne Orr (Labor) – 2016 ^[60]
  • Laura Nuttall (Greens) – 2023 ^[61]
• Former:
  • Jonathan Davis (Greens) – 2020-2023 (resigned)
• Historic firsts:
  • Government minister: Andrew Barr (Labor) – 2006 ^[58]
  • Chief Minister: Andrew Barr (Labor) – 2014 ^[58]

Northern Territory

Current:

• Chansey Paech (Labor) – 2016 ^[62]

Officeholders:

• Leader of the Opposition: Jodeen Carney (Liberal) – (2005)
• Speaker of the Assembly: Chansey Paech (Labor) – (2020)

See also

• List of transgender politicians in Australia
• List of the first LGBT holders of political offices

References

1. "Where your MP stands on Marriage Equality".
2. "Senators and Members". www.aph.gov.au. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
3. "Intersex Mayor Elected in Australia". Advocate.com . 9 December 2011. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
4. "Briffa to march in mayoral robes". Star Observer . 8 December 2011. Archived from the original on 30 December 2014. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
5. "Tony Briffa Of Australia's City Of Hobsons Bay Becomes World's First Intersex Mayor". The Huffington Post . 10 December 2011. Archived from the original on 17 November 2013. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
6. "World's first intersex mayor, Cr Tony Briffa does not want to be called he or she". Herald Sun . 15 April 2013. Archived from the original on 1 June 2015. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
7. Cunneen, Chris. "Dobie, James Donald (Don) (1927–1996)". People Australia. National Centre of Biography. Archived from the original on 2 July 2022. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
8. "The rise of LGBTIQ politicians". Election Watch – Australia 2016. 1 July 2016. Archived from the original on 12 April 2019. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
9. "Why politicians are well within their rights to sue journalists". Crikey. 29 January 2015. Archived from the original on 17 February 2019. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
10. Ramsey, Alan (29 May 2004). "Spouse du jour, more to the point". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 17 April 2023. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
11. "Bob Brown | Australian politician". Encyclopedia Britannica. Archived from the original on 17 February 2019. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
12. "The day a gay WA polly took a stand in Parliament". The West Australian. 17 November 2017. Archived from the original on 7 September 2018. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
13. Belonksy, Andrew (5 December 2007). "Aussie Lesbian Makes Political History". www.queerty.com. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
14. "Pratt mum on her next role". The West Australian. 25 May 2014. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
15. 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.
16. Birnbauer, William (9 September 2007). "Gender changes, but a wife's love stays". The Age. Archived from the original on 5 September 2017. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
17. Ireland, Judith (13 October 2015). "New senator Robert Simms talks of struggle to come out". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
18. 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.
19. Andree Withey (31 July 2017). "Queensland's first openly gay MP wants same-sex marriage vote now". ABC News. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
20. Reynolds, Andrew (15 October 2018). The Children of Harvey Milk. Oxford University Press. ISBN   9780190460952.
21. Feller, Jennifer (3 December 2018). "How a celebrity doctor became one of the most powerful women in Canberra". ABC News. Archived from the original on 4 December 2018. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
22. "Gay LNP federal election 2019 candidate Angie Bell hopes to make history in blue ribbon seat". ABC News. 15 May 2019. Archived from the original on 29 May 2019. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
23. "Senator Nita Green Wife Lacey are expecting their first child". Star Observer. 21 August 2021. Archived from the original on 20 August 2021. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
24. Bowman, Jan (19 May 2022). "Could the LGBTQI Vote Make a Difference in Brisbane". Westender. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
25. "Family first for ALP's first openly gay Tasmanian candidate Alison Standen". www.news.com.au. 8 October 2017. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
26. Nicholls, Sean (19 October 2014). "Labor candidate for Newtown Penny Sharpe takes the wraps off her family". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 17 February 2019. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
27. "Legislative Council Hansard – 10 May 2022 – Proof – Inaugural Speeches". 10 May 2022. Archived from the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
28. "Amanda Cohn". Parliament of NSW. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
29. "About – the Hon. Jacqui Munro MLC".
30. "'I lived with a lot of denial': Former politician Michael Yabsley's new life". 5 June 2020. Archived from the original on 29 June 2020. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
31. Nicholls, Sean (18 January 2015). "First openly gay state MP Paul O'Grady dies in Sydney". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 17 February 2019. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
32. "Outed MP not alone: 1 in 5 men gay". www.dailytelegraph.com.au. 21 May 2010. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
33. "NSW gay marriage bill fails by one vote". www.dailytelegraph.com.au. 14 November 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
34. Hasham, Nicole (20 November 2014). "Liberal MP Don Harwin discloses he is gay". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
35. 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.
36. "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.
37. "First gay MP for Sydney equality". www.dailytelegraph.com.au. 3 November 2012. Archived from the original on 9 September 2017. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
38. "Retiring MPs – NSW Votes 2011 – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". www.abc.net.au. Archived from the original on 9 March 2019. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
39. "Southeast Liberals high hopes for Malcolm". www.dailytelegraph.com.au. 23 September 2015. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
40. "Gay couple first to marry in ACT". www.heraldsun.com.au. 6 December 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
41. "About Peter". peterfostermlc.com.au. Archived from the original on 22 September 2024. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
42. Southern, ABC Great (24 June 2016). "Politicians agree to disagree on same-sex marriage plebiscite". ABC News. Archived from the original on 9 March 2022. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
43. "Lynn MacLaren – Same-Sex Marriage Bill in WA Reaches First Milestone | Australian Marriage Equality". Archived from the original on 25 June 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
44. "Louise Pratt". www.alp.org.au. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
45. "WA MP Stuart Aubrey shares his coming out experience". Out in Perth. 19 April 2022. Archived from the original on 22 September 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
46. Andrew O'Connor (23 September 2015). "Passionate plea for marriage equality in WA Parliament". ABC News. Archived from the original on 11 September 2017. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
47. McNeill, Heather (14 December 2017). "'Being gay just feels normal here': Perth's most popular suburbs for same sex couples to live revealed". WAtoday. Archived from the original on 17 November 2018. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
48. Hyde, John, ed. (2008). John Hyde MLA, Member for Perth. Perth, W.A: John Hyde. Archived from the original on 22 September 2024. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
49. Riley, Benjamin (28 January 2015). "Creating federal LGBTI portfolio could encourage new LGBTI MPs: rights lobby". Star Observer. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
50. "Critics take to social media to condemn Joe McCracken's 'internalised homophobia'". news.com.au. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
51. "Candidates". It Takes More. Archived from the original on 15 December 2022. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
52. Mckenzie, Nick (29 November 2005). "Victorian Libs oust Olexander". ABC News (Australia) PM. Archived from the original on 22 September 2024. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
53. Hirst, Jordan (27 June 2022). "Victoria's first openly gay cabinet ministers were just sworn in". QNews. Archived from the original on 16 December 2022. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
54. Thomas, Shibu (28 November 2022). "Greens' Gabrielle De Vietri is Victoria's Newest Out Member of Parliament". Star Observer. Archived from the original on 15 December 2022. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
55. "Hunter first MP in gay marriage". www.adelaidenow.com.au. 20 January 2012. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
56. "First biography since Don Dunstan's death reveals his double life drove him to resign". www.adelaidenow.com.au. 8 May 2014. Archived from the original on 20 May 2017. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
57. lauredhel (8 April 2010). "Quickhit: Kelly Vincent elected to Upper House in South Australia!". Hoyden About Town. Archived from the original on 22 September 2024. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
58. McIlroy, Tom (5 December 2014). "Andrew Barr set to become Australia's first openly gay state or territory leader". Canberra Times. Archived from the original on 17 February 2019. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
59. Burgess, Katie (13 December 2016). "Second gay ACT parliamentarian Chris Steel tips hat to chief minister Andrew Barr for paving the way". Canberra Times. Archived from the original on 17 February 2019. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
60. "It's not just a survey, it's personal – HerCanberra.com.au". hercanberra.com.au. 8 October 2017. Archived from the original on 30 June 2019. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
61. "Meet Laura Nuttall, the ACT's youngest and newest politician". 3 February 2024. Archived from the original on 22 September 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
62. "Chansey Paech is Australia's first gay, Indigenous parliamentarian". Topics. Archived from the original on 17 February 2019. Retrieved 17 February 2019.