This page features computer generated text of the source audio. It may contain errors or omissions, so always listen back to the original media to confirm content. You can search the text using Ctrl-F, and you can also play the audio by clicking on a desired timestamp.
So I'm Jan Lo. I'm a green party, uh, MP and one of the co-chair of the cross party Rainbow Network here in our parliament. And we are standing right now in the Rainbow Room, which is one of the, uh, select committee rooms in Parliament that is themed to represent a community, Uh, that has potentially been marginalised and not, um, fully [00:00:30] recognised by our parliament. What is the history of the Rainbow Room? So it was, um, created in 2008 by the then speaker Margaret Wilson in recognition that, um, actually LGBT QA a plus. People in New Zealand had contributed a lot to the country and that there was value in them having a visible space in our parliament. Why do you think it's important? Well, [00:01:00] for me, I think two reasons one, an acknowledgement that the laws and that have been created in this place caused profound harm to huge numbers of people from our community. And I hope us having a visible presence here will help prevent that happening again. And I also think it's really important that when there is that kind of history [00:01:30] and, um when a community is marginalised and experiences discrimination in the population that parliament does what it can even in the small things like our spaces to, um, counter that discrimination and show that this parliament represents everyone. When [00:02:00] you say that there were laws that that weren't so good for LGBTI communities, what were those laws? Well, you know, the parliament created the laws that criminalised homosexuality as an example and pre colonisation. There was, um you know, there's evidence that we have of, um, communities embracing sexual and gender diversity and the colonial powers [00:02:30] and laws created by this place overturned that and, um, criminalised us in terms of, uh, creating a space within, um, Parliament itself. How easy, Or how hard was it to create a Rambo room? Well, actually, I wasn't around at the time. Um, that Margaret Ms. Wilson made that decision. I guess it's about having a speaker in the House who who gets the importance [00:03:00] of democracy and being inclusive. Um, and who's willing to take that leadership? And she did. And I, I think you know the result speaks for itself. Yeah, so it's just actually been relaunched a couple of months ago. Can you describe what it looked like prior to the relaunch And what it looks like now. Yeah, um well, you know, like a credit to the speaker for creating the room, but I've got to say it was a bit depressing. It [00:03:30] was, um It had kind of blue, green duck, eggshell kind of paint. And, um, some, you know, admirable artworks from people with, uh, like, toss Williston. You know, so But in those colours that were very, you know, you're kind of in bed rocking kind of mood to them. It it didn't evoke [00:04:00] or, um, the vibrancy of our communities to me anyway. And I found it a bit drag and depressing, to be honest. And so today, how does it look? Well, today is an absolute contrast where we've got really fresh white paint that just kind of sings of, um, kind of, you know, aliveness and freshness. And we have a selection of our beautiful flags, [00:04:30] um, here in the room and, uh, artwork by Elizabeth, uh, which is with the rainbow, um, colours on panels. And then there's the photos of, uh, out MP S, um, on the walls and, uh, pieces of the significant legislation. So it's really it's got the [00:05:00] colour that reflects our community, I think. Can you actually just go around and look at the photographs to begin with? And maybe if you could just name the people and also give me, um what was what was the criteria for actually being on the wall here? So the criteria was for somebody to have been in Parliament and to have been out and to want their picture on the wall. And so we have Marilyn, we who was, um, the first out MP, um, Ed, um, against her will, [00:05:30] actually in the community. Um, but had the public get behind her after that, which is a pretty, I think inspiring part of our history as a country makes me feel good about us. And then Chris Carter, uh, who was, um, elected in 93 and then Tim Barnett and Georgina ba obviously, uh, you know, thought of us. And she says, you know, the first out, Trans, um, gender member of a parliament [00:06:00] anywhere in the world. Um, which is I've got to say for me being, uh, one of those moments where I felt really great about our country. Um, and then Marion Street from 2005. And Charles 2006. And then Kevin Haig and Grant Robertson and Lesa Wall all came in in 2008. And was there anyone that, um, didn't want to be on the wall that you approached and they didn't want to be there? Um, [00:06:30] my understanding is that yes, there are. And obviously I'm not going to name them because they are choosing not to be, um, not wanting to be part of that history. Yeah, um, and then on this side, we've got me and then Paul Foster Bell, I then, um Claude, uh, and coffee and Tau Allen and Chloe Schrock and her adorable puppy. So [00:07:00] now, um, there are some absences here and I I think of, um, the the Allies over the years, people like Fran and Trevor Mallard. Why aren't they up? Well, I guess that's something that we could consider for, um, for another part of the room. I think the, um there is an importance to for me at least to acknowledge the out MP S because when particularly [00:07:30] you're kind of a young queer or a parent of a young one coming out and not knowing if the world's going to be OK for them to actually see that there are members of Parliament who are standing proudly and their sexuality or gender identity, I think gives hope. And so I think that in itself is really important. But I do think, um, you're right. Allies have played a really significant roles for us in [00:08:00] this place, and that would be good to acknowledge them On the, um I say back wall, I guess, um, you've got six pieces of legislation. Can you take me through? Uh, what those bits of legislation are and why they're significant. Um, so the first one is homosexual law reform, which, uh, was the decriminalisation of homosexuality. Um, and then, um and which was, I guess, the first piece of positive law reform as I understand it [00:08:30] in this country that, um, around restoring, uh, our access to rights to exist as we are. And next. Um, in that vein came the Human Rights Act, which was a protection, um, from discrimination, uh, and on the grounds of sexual orientation and also, um, include sex. And it's been great that the current Minister for [00:09:00] Justice has acknowledged the benefit of clarifying that this legislation and the Human Rights Act does protect, um, transgender people and non-binary people from discrimination as well. There'd been a crown law, um, opinion that the existing legislation does. But the way it's framed is less than ideal. And, um, and people don't feel that it does. [00:09:30] And that's really important that it's clear. And then the Civil Union Act in 2004, which was, um, I guess the precursor to marriage equality, uh, and set up the option for people to have civil partnerships. And, um, that and I still remember the conversations in the community at the time, and some of them being particularly amongst lesbians, really hated anti um, the [00:10:00] idea of kind of, you know, patriarchal, uh, relationship models. And yeah, so it's. But that was the start of a movement to, um, I guess, yeah, towards marriage. Equality. And then there's the, um, Relationship Statutory References Act of 2005, which I think was enabling people. It was ensuring that, um, property [00:10:30] relationship forms enabled it wasn't necessarily male husband, wife that it, um, enabled same sex relationships to be covered by those forms and then marriage, equality and then the expungement of convictions for historical homosexual offences, the most recent in 2018. And to have, um, homosexual law reform at one end. And then the expungement at the other is a kind of a nice book marking and quite remarkable [00:11:00] that all of these bits of legislation have happened in the last, What, 30 30 or so years? Absolutely. It's, you know, sometimes I reflect on the amount while I get really frustrated with the, you know, the things that we haven't done yet that just seem to me, um, just so frustrating. And I'm just like, Why can't we get on and just do it? This is not that hard, but to see actually how far we've come in 30 years. [00:11:30] It's, um you know, it's inspiring me to think of that. Well, maybe we can just keep moving and get it done. Now when we twirl around and we're looking at the front of the room now and we've got, uh, numerous, uh, flags. Why was it significant? Why is it important to have not just the rainbow flag, but all these other flags here? I guess we've had, um, the representation to us particularly, um, from some [00:12:00] younger members of the community, but not exclusively that for them, the rainbow flag doesn't resonate. And when they see it, they, um, that it represents more, um, gay and lesbian, Um and particularly for young, trans and intersex people, actually, um, have and bisexuals as well. I've heard most strongly from that. They, um they identify most strongly with their flags. And, um, [00:12:30] this idea of our community or being a kind of a coherent kind of single thing isn't quite right, right? Like, actually, which is the idea behind the rainbow flag is the differences. But, um, that we're stronger when the rainbow flag is there and other people can see their specific identity flags as well. Can you just take me through which flags we've got here? Sure. So we've got [00:13:00] the asexuals flag, then the intersex flag, and then the pansexual flag, the trans flag, the LGBT pride flag, New Zealand flag, the flag, and the black Asian and minority ethnic rainbow flag and the bisexual flag. And hanging right in the middle of the room is just an amazing, um, artwork by Elizabeth. Can you tell me about that? Yeah, it is. It's so vibrant and so beautiful. [00:13:30] So it is. Um, you've got two wooden panels on the side, and then they look like, um with those kind of rods that form the basis of a tuk tuk panel. Um, and almost it's got a kind of an arrow image to it, and then going across, uh, making the tuk tuk panels is a, um, a rainbow flag image. And it's just vibrant and beautiful. [00:14:00] And it was commissioned by Parliament, Um, after the passing of the marriage equality legislation. Yeah. Stunning. Can you tell me what it was like? Uh, being here on that relaunch of the room a couple of months ago, and you had all these, um, uh, rainbow elders here and former MP S. It was really beautiful. It was, um you know, like, the idea for me is that Parliament [00:14:30] should be a group of, um, people who represent our communities who are of our communities, not, you know, these people stuck in a separate world, and, um, and for people who have just spent so much of their lives, whether that be, by the decades of some of our elders, but also just in the proportion of their lives. For some of [00:15:00] our young ones, really just giving of themselves for our community and pushing for justice and equality, Um, to have them in here And, um, kind of, I guess I hope that it felt to them as if they really felt that, um, this space was a reflection of their contribution. [00:15:30] Like, that's what I hope because, um because that's what I want it to be and what it represents for me. And, um, and it was really beautiful and really special. One of the things we haven't mentioned was that there was a special documentary made for the room, which is about 30 minutes. Um, tell me about that. Um, yeah. So there's a fabulous little documentary making team here at Parliament now, and it's kind of a new thing. There's a really talented guy, Jack. [00:16:00] And so he made a documentary, Um, about, um, kind of, I guess some of the history around, uh, out MP S in parliament. And so the documentary is available on the parliamentary website now, but also, um, they can people can have it screened here if they come and have a visit to the room. Um, and it's really moving. I thought it's really well made. And some powerful [00:16:30] stories about moments in our history and some of the passing of the legislation. Yeah. Now you mentioned about visiting the room. How does one visit the Rainbow Room in Parliament? And what, What can be done here? Well, so this is a select committee room. So, um, which is where select committees consider pieces of legislation, um, and hear submissions from the public. So this room will be used at different times for all sorts of different pieces of legislation. [00:17:00] We use this for the expungement of the convictions for most of that hearing, but before it was done up, um, so probably nobody noticed it was a rainbow room. Um, but and also it can be I've lusa Wall and I have hosted an event here, Um, I think as part of one of the local pride festivals, where it was kind of an afternoon tea, Um, with, uh, I think it was kind of rainbow youth or inside [00:17:30] out kind of young ones, which was really lovely. Um, And people, if they want to come visit. They can either give the give me a call or give one of their local MP S a call and ask, um, to come and be shown around or call the, um tour desk at Parliament and, um, get them to arrange a viewing of the room.
This page features computer generated text of the source audio. It may contain errors or omissions, so always listen back to the original media to confirm content.
Tags