‘Australian first’: Greens MP Stephen Bates joins OnlyFans to promote campaign

A serving member of parliament has joined the subscription-based platform, best known for its adult content – but not for the reason you think.

In an Australian first, Greens MP Stephen Bates has joined OnlyFans – not to post anything risque, but to promote the party’s push to make two drugs that significantly reduce the risk of HIV transmission free.

Mr Bates, who is the Greens’ LGBTIQA+ spokesperson and current member for Brisbane, posted his first video on the subscription-based platform – best known for its adult content – on Wednesday.

He used his maiden post to launch the Greens’ initiative to make PrEP and PEP prescriptions free to anyone with a script. Though the antiretroviral drugs – which are taken by nearly 100,000 Australians at a high risk of HIV transmission and, if used daily, have an efficacy rate of 99 per cent – are on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), “the gap payment can add up to hundreds of dollars a year”, Mr Bates said.

“In a cost of living crisis, that’s just too much. You shouldn’t have to pay a fortune to be sexually responsible,” he added.

“Ending HIV is too important to fly under the radar.”

Greens MP for Brisbane Stephen Bates has joined OnlyFans to promote the party’s push to make PrEP and PEP prescriptions free. Picture: John Gass

Though both drugs are on the PBS, ‘the gap payment can add up to hundreds of dollars a year’, Mr Bates said. Picture: iStock

During the 2022 federal election, Mr Bates used the gay and bisexual dating app Grindr to make his pitch to voters with the slogan “You always come first with the Greens” – a campaign tactic also employed that same year by Victorian Greens candidates in the state election.

“I campaign on OnlyFans and Grindr because it gets attention,” Mr Bates said.

“Sometimes you have to make a splash to make people pay attention to the things that matter.”

Party leader Adam Bandt praised Mr Bates’ innovative move and the MP’s “long history of really connecting with his community and making sure that the people who need to hear the message about how (they) can save lives, get to hear it”.

“When it comes to saving lives, you need to talk to everyone you can and if that means using inventive measures to reach audiences with a plan that will save lives, then I think we should do it,” Mr Bandt said.

‘I campaign on OnlyFans and Grindr because it gets attention.’ Picture: Instagram/@batesforbrisbane

Greens leader Adam Bandt praised Mr Bates’ ‘inventive methods’. Picture: Dan Peled/NewsWire

Mr Bates’ announcement follows that of the Greens’ plan for tackling LGBTIQA+ discrimination, including appointing a Human Rights Commissioner to be a watchdog for the community.

Greens candidate for Sydney Luc Velez said that “queer people still face discrimination every day”.

“Our community has higher rates of homelessness and mental ill health, and faces systemic barriers to our safety, workplace rights and access to services,” Mr Velez said.

“As we are seeing the right lean into queerphobia and fearmonger about trans bodies and healthcare, a dedicated LGBTQIA+ human rights commissioner will ensure there are always the resources and expertise to defend our human rights.”

Establishing such a commissioner, Mr Bates said, would ensure “an institution outside the government that can hold government to account”.

“It’s so that we can examine discrimination in our society, but also provide an avenue for people in the community to take grievances too so that we can address discrimination across all aspects of the law.”

Originally published as ‘Australian first’: Greens MP Stephen Bates joins OnlyFans to promote campaign