Chansey Paech represents the Northern Territory seat of Namatjira. But getting there was a hard-won battle.
Coming out to his family as a teenager tested the strength of a few relationships – but they did come to accept him for who he is after a couple of challenging years. It was a struggle that prepared him for a political campaign with no short supply of voters with traditional values.
What's more, two years as a primary carer for his ailing grandma taught Chansey a thing or two about caring for people -- and constituents.
“People were going out and telling people, ‘Don’t vote for that young fella because he’s gay; he likes boys! […] They were using my sexuality as a gay man in remote communities to put people off voting for me,” says Chansey.
From left, front: Parents Michael & Cheryl Schembri & sister Adrianna Schembri. Back left: Niece Lily Paech, sister in-law Jess Hill, brothers Justin a Jessie. Source: SBS
But Chansey says that coming out as gay in his Indigenous culture is a lot more accepting now than it was in the past.
“We have a number of young gay men living on communities or transgendered people living out on remote Aboriginal communities,” Chansey says. “I think people have become a lot more accepting of homosexuality.”
However, Chansey is still the only gay man in the Northern Territory parliament village.
“I want to see more young, gay Indigenous people and Indigenous young gay people breaking down stigma and breaking down stereotypes to make a strong and positive difference for our mob.”
As for his other political goals, Chansey has his sights set on ensuring the economic empowerment of Australia’s regional areas and legalising same-sex marriage.
“I’ve already stood up in Parliament and I’ve advocated that I want to see marriage equality,” says Chansey. “I want to see my gays married… and I want to see couples have the ability to have same-sex adoption.”
"I hope 2017 is the year love wins. I really do."
