The electorate of Maylands is home to a large, visible and diverse LGBTQIA+ community. Since her election to office in 2008, Lisa was one of WA Parliament’s first openly gay parliamentarians and has actively consulted with and represented the rights of her LGBTQIA+ constituents ever since.
“The notion that a LGBTIQ relationship is not equal to a heterosexual relationship no longer makes sense in modern Western Australia. The law – the instrument of justice – currently creates a second class of people and incites division, not unity. “I appeal to every member of this place and of the other place to join me in calling for cross party working group to investigate WA’s potential to deliver a marriage equality bill.”
Lisa Baker MLA - 2013
In 2015, she helped make history in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly when her motion recommending a free vote for marriage equality in the Federal Parliament was successfully carried through the Legislative Assembly. The motion included that the Legislative Assembly calls on the Federal Government to abandon the proposed plebiscite on marriage equality.
Lisa was also responsible for the City of Bayswater Council making a public declaration in support of Marriage Equality.
In 2016, Lisa drew the attention of the Parliament to the fact that WA is the only state in Australia to have not yet cleared the records of men who had been convicted of homosexuality under antiquated laws that existed prior to 1989. When elected to Government in 2017, the Labor Government expunged these records.
In 2018, Lisa advocated and provided support for changing Human Reproductive Technology Act and the Surrogacy Act to include rights for same-sex couples to access reproductive technology and have equal reproductive rights. Additionally, she advocated for the Gender Reassignment Amendment Bill 2018 to allow for changes in government issued birth certificate to reflect a person’s gender accurately.
In 2020, Lisa reflected during Trans Awareness Week on the work done by the WA Labor government in the rainbow space, including establishing a gender affirming rights advocacy body for the rights of youth from the LGBTQIA+ community.
Lisa advocated for the abolishment of the Gender Reassignment Board and continues to advocate for gender diverse and gender affirming care within health and community spaces.
Lisa continues to support for all those who identify in the LGBTQIA+ space, and works bring together community members, allies, and supporters to celebrate diversity and inclusivity.
