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So we're at out in the park, just standing by the Wellington Library stall of, um, queer books and queer literary icons. And we are celebrating the fabulous diversity in Wellington. It's very diverse today, isn't it? Yeah, it's gorgeous. I'm just loving it. So we've got beers and skirts and queers and trousers and lesbians and bisexuals and [00:00:30] groups. We've got everyone, and it's looking gorgeous. Things have changed since the last time we talked. And you are now in government. Yes. I've got a new role as parliamentary undersecretary to the Minister of Justice with a focus on ending domestic and sexual violence. Yeah, which is really exciting. So, um, I'm part of the executive and this, you know, progressive new government. [00:01:00] What does this new government mean for rainbow LGBTI communities? Well, I guess some of the signals that we've had so far are a prime minister marching in the Auckland Pride parade for the first time ever. Um, we've had the minister for Statistics Green. Uh, Minister James Shaw, Um, clearly communicating to LGBT Q I plus communities that, um he wants Statistics [00:01:30] New Zealand to prioritise our inclusion in surveys. Make sure that we build up a, um, uh, evidence base for our, um, policy needs. And, um, you know, there's been a few other things happening, which I think, uh, show a positive signs that we can make some real progress. Can you mention those? Um, so? Well, I guess at the moment in the select committee [00:02:00] as well, we've got the birth deaths and marriages bill, um, where there's the opportunity to change the process of changing your gender or sex marker on your birth certificate. Um, and my hope is that the select committee report that unanimously recommended that that be process be based on self identification rather than put in the hands of the court to decide somebody's sex or gender. Um, I'm hopeful that we're going to get that through, um, which [00:02:30] is pretty exciting. Um, there's a lot of murmurings happening. Um, though nothing conclusive yet around possible positive initiatives in terms of, um, accessible health care. Yeah. Um, and also around the education review offers going into schools and doing the audit for safety. Um, so I think there's a lot [00:03:00] to be hopeful, I think. And how have you found the transition going from opposition to government It's really exciting. I mean, to be really honest. It's taken, but it's taken a while to get my head around The fact that I don't have to, you know, go out to the community and create this big lobby that I can just go and talk to somebody and say How about we do this like that is quite a quite a significant change. Um, there's a lot of a lot [00:03:30] of work that has to happen behind the scenes to be able to turn the ship around to getting the kind of results that we need. But, um, but it's exciting. I think it was you that mentioned earlier on in the day about remembering people like Donna Shelley and the, you know, amazing leaders who were really active and contributed so much in our community as elders. And, you know, they've been younger than me. But, um, and [00:04:00] the you know that the loss of them has really felt yeah, and and that you know, the people who I know who passed who were leaders. But I'm also aware of, you know, some of the young ones who I didn't know whose names weren't known to as many of us but were really dear to their friends who, um, you know, may have passed far too early. And, yeah, so, like, it's it is [00:04:30] that thing of coming and celebrating in the pride and also acknowledging that there is for many people, that underlying grief at the same time. Yeah, so on a personal note, what does being here today mean to you? I guess it's a chance to like, if I'm really honest, just relax and soak up and feel like, you know, this is kind of it really is just this sense of kind of family. I know it's a cliche to say, but it really does feel like that to me. It's just like, Oh, [00:05:00] all these people I love and I never get to see And we're all in one place. Yes, like my girlfriend is standing beside me, who I never get to see and and just like, how wonderful is that? Yeah, it.
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