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Brian Greig

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Brian Greig
OAM
Leader of the Australian Democrats
Interim
In office
22 August 2002 – 5 October 2002
DeputyAden Ridgeway
Preceded byNatasha Stott Despoja
Succeeded byAndrew Bartlett
Senator for Western Australia
In office
1 July 1999 – 30 June 2005
Preceded byDee Margetts
Succeeded byRachel Siewert
Personal details
Born
Brian Andrew Greig

(1966-02-22) 22 February 1966 (age 58)
Fremantle, Western Australia, Australia
Political partyDemocrat
Domestic partner(s)Keith McKenzie
(esp. 1986)
EducationHale School
Alma materMurdoch University
OccupationMedia officer
(Self-employed)
ProfessionJournalist
Politician

Brian Andrew Greig OAM (born 22 February 1966) is a former Australian politician. Grieg was an Australian Democrats member of the Australian Senate from 1999 to 2005, representing the state of Western Australia.

Early life

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Greig was born in Fremantle, but his family moved to the small crayfishing village of Lancelin in 1970. He went to primary school there, but received secondary education as a boarder at  Hale School, Perth. He studied Arts (English Literature) at Murdoch University, where he became involved in student politics, elected to the Guild in 1988 and editor of student newspaper ‘Metior’.

At university, Greig campaigned on the issue of student fees and, in 1986, helped re-establish the National Union of Students. He also began to get involved in gay rights activism during the 1990s, and for several years was spokesperson for Gay and Lesbian Equality (GALE), campaigning for the decriminalisation of homosexuality, anti-discrimination protections and partnership recognition for same-sex couples.[1]

Greig also helped establish the now defunct Australian Council for Lesbian and Gay Rights in 1993, the first national lobby of its kind focused on discriminatory commonwealth laws. Campaigns included the successful lifting of the homosexual ban in the military, and recognition of same-sex partners' right to carer's and bereavement leave.[2]

Political career

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During the 1990s, Greig worked for a range of Australian Labor Party politicians, including Senator Peter Cook, Diana Warnock MLA and Opposition Leaders Ian Taylor MLA and Dr Carmen Lawrence MLA, but became disillusioned with Labor and joined the Democrats. He cited Labor's ‘weak’ commitment to LGBTI reform and was attracted to the work in this area by Democrats Senator Sid Spindler, at that time creating on a commonwealth Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) Bill.     

Between 1995 and 1999, he was a local-government councillor in the City of Vincent,[3] becoming the first openly gay person elected to public office in Western Australia.[4][5] At the October 1998 federal election, aged 33, Greig was elected to the Senate. He used his maiden speech to acknowledge his homosexuality, highlight existing areas of discrimination and called for a range of national reforms in this area. It is considered to be the first time a federal politician had spoken so openly and strongly in favour of LGBTI rights,[4] and Grieg has been considered the first LGBTI rights activist elected to federal parliament.[6]

In August 2002, Greig became interim leader of the Australian Democrats for six weeks following the ousting of former leader Natasha Stott Despoja by senators including the parties deputy, Aden Ridgeway. Ridgeway was expected to become the interim leader, though Greig, a supported of Despoja, made a late challenge appealing to the Democrats governing National Executive to appoint him instead.[7] Greig has been considered to be the first openly gay leader of an Australian political party.[8] Greig was replaced in the resulting leadership ballot by Andrew Bartlett in October, 2002.

In the Senate, Greig had Democrat portfolio responsibilities for Attorney Generals, Justice and Customs; Family and Community Services; Transport; Resources; Fisheries; Disability and Sexuality Issues. He campaigned against internet censorship,[9] and also served on the Joint Parliamentary Committee for the Australian Crime Commission and prompted it to investigate the trafficking of women into the Australian sex industry.[10]

Greig is mostly remembered for his pursuit of LGBTI issues, raising questions with Ministers, moving same-sex amendments to government legislation and triggering speeches from all parties on how to remedy commonwealth inequality against same-sex couples. In 2003, the conservative Howard Government which had opposed his agenda, reluctantly agreed to one of his campaigns and ended discrimination against same-sex couples in private sector Superannuation death benefits.[11] Along with Spindler's SOGI Bill, his advocacy across all areas of federal LGBTI discrimination has been credited with laying the foundations for the Rudd Government's ‘Same-Sex Relationships (Equal Treatment in Commonwealth Laws General Law Reform) Bill 2008.[12]

In 2004, just prior to the election being called, Greig was one of only nine senators to vote against the ban on same-sex marriage by the Howard Government. That legislation triggered a movement for marriage equality that would last another 13 years. The ban was overturned in 2017 and Greig's pioneering speech and advocacy from 2004 was acknowledged by sitting senators and referenced in the media.[4]    

During his term in office, Greig introduced three Private Member's Bills — one to outlaw genocide in Australia, another to eliminate discrimination against LGBTI people, and another to promote government use of open source software. All were blocked by the Liberal–National government. Greig stood for re-election at the 2004 election, but lost his seat to Rachel Siewert of the Australian Greens. His term expired 30 June 2005.

Post-political career

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Since leaving parliament, Greig has worked as a Communications Manager for the Real Estate Institute of Western Australia and in media operations for Anglicare WA and the Department of Fire and Emergency Services. He continues with social commentary in platforms such as On Line Opinion and Crikey, as well as publishing articles in mainstream media including for The Age and The Guardian.[13][14]

Greig maintained his LGBTI advocacy, serving as the WA Representative to Australian Marriage Equality between 2013 and 2016 and is currently WA spokesperson for lobby group Just-Equal Australia. On 13 June 2011, Greig was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for service to the community as a social justice advocate for the gay and lesbian community.[15]

In 2019, Greig moved to Busselton WA. That year, he unsuccessfully stood for Busselton City Council in 2019.[3] He is self-employed in consulting and works for the hospitality sector. He is chairperson of local LGBTI advocacy group Busselton Pride Alliance,[3] and is also a founding member of the LGBTIQ advocacy group Just-Equal Australia.      

References

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  1. ^ Grieg, Brian (29 January 2014). "Russia's anti-gay laws were first trialled in WA, says OAM recipient Brian Greig". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021.
  2. ^ "Industrial Relations Act 1988 s.113 applications for variations". Fair Work Commission. 1995. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 June 2021.
  3. ^ a b c Kirk, Emma (24 September 2019). "Former senator Brian Greig runs for City of Busselton Council". Busselton-Dunsborough Mail. Archived from the original on 9 October 2020.
  4. ^ a b c Croy, Liam (17 November 2017). "The day a gay WA polly took a stand in Parliament". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 7 September 2018.
  5. ^ Grieg, Brian (10 November 2020). "Looking back at Peter Nattrass, the "Poofter Council" and Pride". OutInPerth. Archived from the original on 3 June 2021.
  6. ^ Young, Emma (12 August 2015). "Gay marriage: WA community reacts to Tony Abbott trickery". The Age. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021.
  7. ^ "Ridgeway? No way, say Democrats". The Sydney Morning Herald. 23 August 2002. Archived from the original on 3 June 2021.
  8. ^ "Being Brian Grieg". Star Observer. 20 April 2008. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021.
  9. ^ "Govt 'trying to prevent scrutiny of Net censorship laws'". The Age. 24 July 2002. Archived from the original on 21 July 2019.
  10. ^ "Inquiry into the trafficking of women for sexual servitude" (PDF). Parliament of Australia. 2004. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 July 2021.
  11. ^ "Gay hitch on super bill". The Age. 18 September 2003. Archived from the original on 3 June 2021.
  12. ^ "Same-Sex Relationships (Equal Treatment in Commonwealth Laws—General Law Reform) Bill 2008". www.aph.gov.au. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  13. ^ Greig, Brian (30 March 2016). "History repeats: 20 years of political homophobia from the religious right". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021.
  14. ^ Greig, Brian (6 February 2015). "Opposing gay marriage will decide the Prime Ministership". The Age. Archived from the original on 3 June 2021.
  15. ^ "24 West Australians awarded honours". www.abc.net.au. 12 June 2011. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
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