Lisa Baker MLA delivered her valedictory speech to the Western Australian parliament. After 17 years of serving the people of Maylands Baker is retiring at the 2025 election.
Baker used her speech to reflect on the many changes that have occurred to Western Australian society during her time in the parliament and the wide range of issues she’s advocated for as a parliamentarian.
Fighting for LGBTIQA+ rights is something that has been a constant during her time in both government and opposition.
“In 2015… I made history in the Legislative Assembly by carrying a motion recommending a free vote on marriage equality in the federal Parliament rather than a plebiscite.” Baker noted.
“I also pushed the City of Bayswater to publicly display its support for marriage equality. In 2016, I called on the WA government to resolve what was an embarrassing blemish on our moral obligations to a community of which I am a part—the rainbow or LGBTQIA+ community.”
Baker also highlighted the establishment of a scheme to remove historical homosexual convictions and pushing for changes to surrogacy as major achievements.
“When we were elected in 2017, we expunged any remaining records for people convicted under the archaic WA sex and decency laws and issued a public apology to the families affected.
“In 2018, I advocated for reproductive rights for the rainbow community, asking for changes to the Human Reproductivity Technology Act and the Surrogacy Act to give same-sex couples equal access to reproductive technology and rights.
“I supported the Gender Reassignment Amendment Bill in 2018. I have consistently used my role as an MP to advance LGBTQIA+ rights and representation in WA.” Baker said.
The MP also said she’d been a long-time advocate for the “whole of government” approach to LGBTIQA+ issues that has recently been embraced.
“I have repeatedly called on my leaders to implement a whole-of-government model to address LGBTQIA+ issues and to move immediately to complete other reforms necessary for equality in this state.” Baker said.
In her final speech to the parliament Lisa Baker also highlighted her work in the areas of the environment and her staunch opposition to the greyhound racing industry.
Baker said she believed Dan Bull, the Bayswater councilor and former musician who has been preselected as the Labor candidate for Maylands, would make a fine member of parliament in the future.
