One Nation Speaker on Being Gay, His Partner and Australian Migration

The reality is I have been openly gay throughout my entire adult life.

I do not wave the flag in the air as I walk down the street.

I prefer people to find out these things naturally.

There are times when those of us who are gay feel we have to hide it for our

own safety or just sometimes to avoid social awkwardness.

But I remember,

I, sorry, but I would rather my community hear it

directly from me

than from a potential political opponent or whispers.

And if someone does seek to weaponize who I am,

that says more about them than it does about me.

I wish, in respects, I was more like my last surviving

grandparent,

Nanna Betty Stanley,

who ma- who no matter,

uh, what would hap- no matter what would happen to her in

life, would always

just brush it off and say, "Oh, well, it could've been worse."

And I won't tell that story, Mum.

Too often, as my partner knows too well, I do

sweat the small stuff.

To my partner, Risung, we have built a life together.

I think where we started, I think about where we started out,

about where, how much we've grown together

and how much we've achieved in the 11 years we've been together.

Thank you for standing by through every high and low,

your faith and support when things felt overwhelming,

and helping me keep going.

You are the love of my life by my side.

Risung was born in Indonesia,

a Muslim, and is now a proud Australian.

Our closest friendship circle was made largely of immigrants from

China, India, and the Philippines.

I am deeply thankful for their support, particularly my partner

and friends Christine and Brad Prasco, along with their baby boy, Matthew, who

helped me during my campaign.

I love migrants. The overwhelming majority

are simply searching for a

better life.

But two things- Thank you.

Two things can be true at once,

and I do believe migration levels in recent years have been too high.

Yes, in some parts of the country, employers are crying out for workers.

In others, communities simply want time for housing

and infrastructure to catch

up. In some places, both are true.

After years of policy failure, too many Australians are homeless.

That reality has weakened public confidence in our migration system.

Australians rightly expect governments to ensure our citizens, our

own citizens, can access housing and

opportunity first.

Sorry.

Those who come to Australia to share our boundless plains should come

prepared to embrace this country as their own and respect our way of

life. Many new Australians understand this,

which is why support for One

Nation continues to grow within migrant communities.