Brisbane MP Stephen Bates says ‘two pivotal’ moments drove him to politics in emotional first speech

Queensland’s youngest federal MP has declared his “responsibility to the community of Brisbane” in an emotional maiden speech.

Queensland’s youngest federal MP has declared his “responsibility to the community of Brisbane” in an emotional maiden speech that shone a spotlight on the mental health crisis and the need for queer representation.

Greens MP Stephen Bates, 29, with a rainbow ibis pin attached to his jacket lapel, said there had been two pivotal moments in his life that had steered him to politics — working minimum-wage jobs and coming out as gay.

Mr Bates, the member for Brisbane, grew up in the UK with his musician father and ballerina mother — who had moved from Rockhampton to London to pursue the craft — before moving to Yeppoon and later Brisbane.

Part way through university Mr Bates was offered a job at a “globally renowned theme park” in the United States where he worked 40 hours a week for $7.56 an hour — leaving him and others with next to no money after bills, rent and health insurance.

“I returned to Australia in 2014 with my eyes wide open. I saw the creep of Americanisation and neoliberalism across every aspect of our society and we have seen this come to a head over the last decade,” he said.

“We have been told to shrink ourselves. To expect nothing from the government, that somehow the wealth will trickle down, we’ve been waiting decades for it to trickle down. It is not coming.”

Queensland’s new federal Greens MPs (from left) Max Chandler-Mather (Griffith), Elizabeth Watson-Brown (Ryan) and Stephen Bates (Brisbane)

Lamenting stagnating wages, “out of control” childcare costs, improperly funded state schools, a health system in crisis, and housing stress Mr Bates said “people were simply asking for a government that has their back”.

“As I stand in this chamber today, I acknowledge that I am just one voice. That I have a responsibility to the community of Brisbane who sent me here,” he said.

“To young people across the country who expect much of me, to the queer community I am proud to be a part of.”

Mr Bates is openly gay and revealed he had known he was queer as a teenager but did “everything” to hide it.

Choking up, he said he was “lucky enough to have a very supportive family to come out” later adding delivering the speech was “a lot harder than I thought I would be”.

Mr Bates said he also had a responsibility to the people of Brisbane who had “lost their voices” and could no longer be heard — in reference to those who had been lost due to the mental health crisis.

He spoke of a Brisbane woman named Maya Birch, 24, who took her life in May this year after struggling with mild anxiety and depression for two years prior to contracting Covid-19 in January — with the infection prompting a rapid decline in her mental health.

Greens MP Stephen Bates has delivered his maiden speech.

“The decline in her mental health following this was rapid and extreme as she suffered with brain fog, lack of energy and motivation about life in general,” Mr Bates said.

Ms Birch’s father Jason spoke to Mr Bates about the difficulty getting appointments with a regular doctor, resorting to telehealth that “could not provide her the duty of care when she needed it”.

“Her first appointment with a psychologist was conducted on the footpath outside of the clinic, due to confusion and poor communication around isolation rules, leaving Maya in tears and feeling demoralised. It felt like there was no co-ordinated structure to navigate a path to recovery,” he said.

“Maya so often was only getting appointments through cancellation lists.”

Ms Birch’s family would speak to her for the final time on May 2.

“Maya is just one name in a long list of people who have had their lives cut short because of government inaction. It is my job now to make sure that Maya’s death was not in vain,” he said.

“It is my duty as the Member for Brisbane to fight for my community and make sure that no one is left behind.”