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Yeah. Tim Barnett as a member of Parliament from 1996 to 2008. Um, I guess I was the first guy who was openly gay before he got elected to Parliament. I mean, the Rainbow Room now the revamped, wonderful, simple but colourful rainbow room where we actually have the images of the queer PS, which was one thing, Uh, just 11 years ago, we thought was too much to do and too complicated. But now it's a sign of progress [00:00:30] that the pitchers are up, up and proud, and that and this is an emotional night and it's a really special time to be here. And Timmy, you you had a hand in in making the original Rainbow Room. Yeah, because we're in a corridor of parliament which has the the Maori Affairs Room. It has a room dedicated women parliamentarians to Pacific Island parliamentarians to Asian parliamentarians and my rationality. So why why have we got that and not a rainbow room and persuaded the outgoing speaker [00:01:00] in 2008 to actually agree to a room being dedicated? It was pretty low key, but also quite a powerful event in here a lot of tears. I remember Marilyn Waring was here, and for her it was, I think, the first time she'd been back to the building for many years. So it was a quiet beginning for the whole thing I wrote. I was leaving Parliament that year. I wrote to all the the queer PS elected in this election and said to them, Just make sure you act as guardians and I think they have done because [00:01:30] it's taken time. But now now we have a parliamentary leadership here keen to celebrate these things, and that's simply wonderful. And it's just been refurbished. And it's coming up to the 50th anniversary of Yeah, indeed. And what better this is? I mean, this is really the story here of, uh, of getting on for 50 years and when Marilyn first got into the Parliament. So this is our own 50 years of celebration. 50 years of political movements, but also with [00:02:00] the six pieces of legislation on the wall. It's actually a room which isn't just about people. It's also about real laws passed in this place, and that's what political legacy is all about. So when you walk into this room. Now What? What? What is the feeling you get? The feeling is that we've not only arrived, but we're here to stay that this is an embedded part of this building to signify our collective contribution as queer MP S. But also the fact that we're here [00:02:30] on behalf of a big movement without which that legislation will never have passed. And we rely on our our straight brothers and sisters in this place to make progress. Oh, hi. I'm Georgina Baer. Currently, we're standing outside Select Committee room number 11 in our parliament. Uh, but it's got a new name now, or a renew name. It's the Rainbow Room. And what an amazing event tonight. So we've had a book launch, and also [00:03:00] the relaunch of this rainbow room. That's right. It's been a significant evening. And, um, I have to say the do a horrible sort of select committee functional room that it was is now alive with bright colour and a true reflection of our wonderfully diverse rainbow community. It is marvellous to see the honouring of, um, the pieces of legislation. At least four or five of them at least, um, have been framed and properly given a place of honour, um, as one thing [00:03:30] and some rather fun photographs of all the to date 16 out gay MP S who have served in our New Zealand Parliament now during the launch. Um, there were quite a number of accolades for you. What was it like receiving those those words? Well, obviously they are always very humbling to hear, particularly when it's from people who are from overseas. And, um, you know, we have this tall poppy syndrome thing that goes on here in New Zealand quite often, and we're a humble people, really quite modest [00:04:00] in many ways. And, um, but to hear reflected back that any impact I might have had by my activities and politics or anything else had a profound effect for younger people who saw hope and worth fighting to live, but only with equality. And fair enough, too. And I'm just one of many. I stand on the shoulders. Obviously, that term has been used a lot of, uh, people [00:04:30] who went before me. I came at a time that for the transgender community, it gave a boost to morale, um, internationally and of course, locally, um, to see that the art of the possible is attainable when it seems so impossible. So that's always good to leave that kind of hope. When you walked into the rainbow Room tonight, what was the feeling you got? Oh, I got a feeling of happy warmth descending upon [00:05:00] me It felt embracing, actually very comfortable and at home, uh, for a place that's in an institution like parliament a space that, um, uh represents and reflects us, but celebrates us, I get a sense of celebration. I mean, I'd have to say the Pacific Island Room is vibrant, obviously with a focus on P i art and culture and et cetera. The women's suffrage room is simple. Similar of Maori Affairs Select Committee room, Beautiful Tonga, Um, in there. [00:05:30] So our rainbow room is now a rainbow. Tonga placed in our parliament a very appropriate place. It's also the 50th anniversary coming up of Stonewall in the United States. And I'm wondering, what would you if if I said to you say something to somebody in 50 years time, say something to like an LGBTI person in 50 years time? What would that be? That I hope you are living the freedom we all desired and largely achieved. And that you can live your lives [00:06:00] happy in your own skin. My advice would be still be vigilant. There will be elements in our wider society that will be haters, and we need to stand up to them. I'm sure that won't change sadly, by the time this message gets to you. Um, but, um uh, but nevertheless, I hope you live a future that we, at this point in time, dreamed of achieving. It's [00:06:30] here MP for, uh, lesbian. And we're here outside the Fabulous Relaunch Rainbow Room at the New Zealand Parliament. Can you tell me what it was like to walk into the Rainbow Room tonight? It was actually pretty sensational. To be honest, it is just a fabulous celebration. Uh, of all the work that's happened in this Parliament that is specific to our GVT saw these amazing people smiling back at me. Uh, one of which was me. But the fact that 16 of us have graced these hallowed, uh, walls [00:07:00] and actually been involved in the parliamentary process And then to see Elizabeth S piece of art as a centrepiece with an array of our flags including our flag to symbolise our indigenous identity is incredibly special. And also to see people like Fran Wilde and Georgina here. Oh, look, Fran, Georgina. Catherine O'Regan. Marilyn Waring. You know, these are our pioneers. Joined by Chris Carter. Tim Barnett, [00:07:30] Um, Charles who unfortunately, wasn't here, Grant. I mean, there's just a lot of us. So, actually, if you think about, uh, our contribution to the Parliament, it has been about issues to do with social justice. Human rights. Um, but it's a wonderful feeling to be so celebrated, to be honest, and that was kind of my point. We've moved on beyond just a chronology of things that have happened in this place to the ability to tell our stories ourselves in our own words. And then to, um, celebrate the identity [00:08:00] that is our G BT IQ. Plus, it's pretty cool. I'm very, very proud of our parliament and our speaker, uh, for his leadership and making this happen. And why is it important to have a rainbow room within Parliament itself? Because it is a specific identity that speaks to, uh, our support for but also recognition and celebration of. And that's, uh, for me um, one of the most important things. We are being very clear as a parliament that LGBTI Q [00:08:30] people are, uh, contributors in this house, and we deserve a specific space. Uh, that celebrates and acknowledges our work here. And so I think, to be honest, it's going to become a highlight of all the tours. I'm pretty certain if they do, uh, a bit of a survey at the end and say, which room was your favourite? I'm picking that. Our one is because it's so diverse and it's so inclusive. And I think that's the other thing that speaks to me. It's just so bright, vibrant and [00:09:00] colourful. And I hope that every single LGBTI young person who walks into that room sees themselves and says, Wow, I'm I belong. I'm here in parliament, you know, I have a place, Uh, I have a In some ways, this is that place and I want our young people to be able to use this facility so that, I think is the other aspect is how can we promote us usage a bit more so that our community can have these celebrations? We've We've had young people previously with the uh, Wellington Pride Festival. [00:09:30] So we've hosted afternoon teas. Um but I think now we need to open the doors wider and allow more of us to come in. So, deers here we are at the launch of the Rainbow Room in Parliament, and we've just gone through a very moving opening ceremony. Well, it was moving also the people surrounding who were involved. And I stood next to Fran M. And while I was staying next to her, I had these visions of homosexual law reform [00:10:00] and her office in parliament and how active I was was and also the the campaign and what we were doing. And we were putting posters up around the town. And every time we did it, Fran's office was blasted with phone calls from the anti. Now one guy used to come round with a paint scraper and scrape them off. So the next night, I went with a friend who helped out and we had a ladder. So we put up way high. We waited [00:10:30] and along came this so-called Christian to scrape our posters off. And of course, he stood there. He could not get to them. So there we are but we did. But when Fran was there, I did have a flashback of quite a lot that happened during homosexual reform. It was a struggle, and there was things that were very hard to cope with at times. But I must say that Bill Logan, who unfortunately is not here tonight was a person who saved lives. And [00:11:00] I remember when one time I was so down and it was Bill Logan who was the helper. So there we are, So homosexual law reform. I mean, that's over 30 years ago. But to you, does it just seem like yesterday? Well, it did seem like yesterday when Fran was standing next to me, I had these visions of going up to that office in Parliament and those days you didn't have to go through security like you do now. So it was just roaring up the stairs into Fran's office, seeing what I could do, and then I was told, Oh, I've had all these phone [00:11:30] calls, all these posters up around the town again. And then, uh, there were other thing issues like we had a lot of printed material to put out, and, uh, I used to use the copy machines in parliament. Don't tell anybody that, but it was a way to get this message across. And then we did lots of handouts and manners Mall, um, which was great. The worst place doing homosexual law reform was High Street Lower hut. We actually were spat [00:12:00] on by a group from the Assembly of God church and our table tipped over. But manners mall Wellington was wonderful. People were so supportive. And if you got someone up coming up to you who was anti there was soon plenty of people around who were supportive. But some odd things did happen during that time. I remember some policemen coming up and with their wives, and they said, Well, you got lesbians and gays. Well, can't you just put a lesbian [00:12:30] with a gay and there's no problem. And I remember a wife of one of them lunged them and said, Don't be so bloody stupid. But anyway, that was, uh, lots of memories came back standing next to Fran Fran, and I imagine it would have been a completely different atmosphere because back then, it wasn't guaranteed. The bill would get passed, and we we tonight we're celebrating, but then it must have been incredibly, um, scary. Well, the thing with Fran was she was worried about [00:13:00] people like myself who had come out at that period and become very public, because then we would have been targeted by the police. Now, during the presentation of the homosexual law reform, um, at Parliament of the, uh, anti, um protest the What was it the the petition. A petition with the petition on which was like a Nuremberg rally. Now, Paul Noble, who was Maori and tattooed, was whacked [00:13:30] on the head and shoved into a paddy wagon. And I was doing more to Rab Rebel or the crowd than Paul Noble. But because I was white and I remember that and thinking Oh, Paul should never have been, uh, treated like that. And then what I did was, uh, the police were lined up so we couldn't go near all these, uh, so called Christians and Salvation Army. And I had a hug badge. I don't know if you know about hug, but [00:14:00] the hug heterosexuals una afraid of gaze. I had, um I had one pink triangle and nine hug badges, and I said OK and I counted out 10 policemen and I yelled out to the crowd. Which one do we put the peg triangle on? And which one do we put the hug badge on? And of course, the crowd loved it. But I tell you what. When I looked around at the faces of the police at that stage because they were supporting what was [00:14:30] the law? When I looked around and I saw, I thought, Fuck, I'm in for trouble and I disappeared. But, uh, the interesting thing is, it was at that time that John first noticed me and I was collecting $5 off people, each person to put an ad in the dom or in the papers in New Zealand. We were collecting money of What was it, 16 or nothing? It was equality because [00:15:00] a lot were would have voted for 21 and we were 16 or nothing. And so we wanted this ad in the paper and I was collecting money. And that was the time that John and I first made contact. And John is your husband. That's right. We are married and we had the first civil union in New Zealand. Well, I don't know if it was the first civil union. But our civil union, uh, certificate The licence is CU one. And we [00:15:30] We were there to get up at the office right on that first day, and we got CU one. And then we got our civil union, and that was in 2005 on the first of May. And then we had a wedding 10 years to the exact, uh, time, Uh, 10 years later, 2015, we had our wedding where we held it at. And Grant Robertson said tonight in his speech that, [00:16:00] um uh, John is 90 this year. In a couple of weeks, I'm John's 90. I'm 80. So that makes us 100 and 70 now, other than all the gay rights and every other thing I'm planting 170 native trees around, uh, like in the hills that, uh, and reforestation and around Cummings Park. 100 and 70 native trees to celebrate our anniversary or our birthdays. [00:16:30] Oh, that's so sweet. So there we are, So not only on human rights, but I think, uh, environmental. Um, yeah, I. I, uh, an awareness of the environment that we've got to really, really start getting more people aware of the environment. So, deers would you like to give a very special birthday message to John via this recording? Of course. Yeah. Yeah. John, it's been a fabulous time with you, right? For 31 [00:17:00] years of living together and I just wanna just say you are the greatest. And maybe we have more years of where we can really enjoy life. And we are going to New York. We're flying off to New York to, uh, help or enjoy the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of Stonewall. So, uh, yeah. So, John. Yeah. You are very special. And, uh, you've kept me. Uh, [00:17:30] yeah, Fed. He's a good cook. I don't know if you remember what the, um what was It was the push for the marriage equality bill. And John and I gave a submission, and it was the guy in parliament with a and, uh, he said, Oh, if you get married, who will be the mis and who will be the missus? And I thought, Oh, stupid question. But I said to him, Look, if it's any help to you, John does most of the cooking so that [00:18:00] that sort of broke the ice. And there we are. So there we are, but, um, I do most of the gardening. John does most of the cooking, but we don't play roles. No, we are two men married and happy. Yeah.
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