Editing Brian Greig (section)

==Political career==
During the 1990s, Greig worked for a range of [[Australian Labor Party]] politicians, including Senator [[Peter Cook (Australian politician)|Peter Cook]], [[Diana Warnock]] MLA and Opposition Leaders Ian Taylor MLA and [[Carmen Lawrence|Dr Carmen Lawrence]] MLA, but became disillusioned with Labor and joined the Democrats. He cited Labor's ‘weak’ commitment to LGBTI reform and was attracted to the work in this area by Democrats [[Sid Spindler|Senator Sid Spindler]], at that time creating on a commonwealth Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) Bill.     

Between 1995 and 1999, he was a local-government councillor in the [[City of Vincent]],<ref name=kirk>{{Cite web |last=Kirk|first=Emma| date=September 24, 2019 |title=Former senator Brian Greig runs for City of Busselton Council |url=https://www.busseltonmail.com.au/story/6402879/former-senator-brian-greig-runs-for-city-of-busselton-council/|work=Busselton-Dunsborough Mail |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201009104719/https://www.busseltonmail.com.au/story/6402879/former-senator-brian-greig-runs-for-city-of-busselton-council/ |archive-date=9 October 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> becoming the first openly gay person elected to public office in Western Australia.<ref name=croy/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.outinperth.com/looking-back-at-peter-nattrass-the-poofter-council-and-pride/ |title=Looking back at Peter Nattrass, the "Poofter Council" and Pride |last=Grieg |first=Brian |date=10 November 2020 |work=[[OutInPerth]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210603020448/https://www.outinperth.com/looking-back-at-peter-nattrass-the-poofter-council-and-pride/ |archive-date=3 June 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> At the [[1998 Australian federal election|October 1998 federal election]], aged 33, Greig was elected to the Senate. He used his maiden speech to acknowledge his homosexuality, highlight existing areas of discrimination and called for a range of national reforms in this area. It is considered to be the first time a federal politician had spoken so openly and strongly in favour of LGBTI rights,<ref name=croy/> and Grieg has been considered the first LGBTI rights activist elected to federal parliament.<ref name=young>{{cite web |url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/western-australia/gay-marriage-wa-community-reacts-to-tony-abbott-trickery-20150812-gixca8.html |title=Gay marriage: WA community reacts to Tony Abbott trickery |last=Young |first=Emma |date=12 August 2015 |work=[[The Age]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602213533/https://www.theage.com.au/national/western-australia/gay-marriage-wa-community-reacts-to-tony-abbott-trickery-20150812-gixca8.html |archive-date=2 June 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In August 2002, Greig became interim leader of the [[Australian Democrats]] for six weeks following the ousting of former leader [[Natasha Stott Despoja]] by senators including the party's deputy, [[Aden Ridgeway]]. Ridgeway was expected to become the interim leader, though Greig, a supporter of Despoja, made a late challenge appealing to the Democrats governing National Executive to appoint him instead.<ref>{{Cite web |date=23 August 2002 |title=Ridgeway? No way, say Democrats |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/ridgeway-no-way-say-democrats-20020823-gdfkex.html |work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210603033527/https://www.smh.com.au/national/ridgeway-no-way-say-democrats-20020823-gdfkex.html |archive-date=3 June 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> Greig has been considered to be the first openly gay leader of an Australian political party.<ref name=star>{{cite web |url=https://www.starobserver.com.au/news/national-news/new-south-wales-news/being-brian-greig/6407 |title=Being Brian Grieg |date=April 20, 2008 |work=[[Star Observer]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602213536/https://www.starobserver.com.au/news/national-news/new-south-wales-news/being-brian-greig/6407 |archive-date=2 June 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> Greig was replaced in the resulting leadership ballot by [[Andrew Bartlett]] in October, 2002.

In the Senate, Greig had Democrat portfolio responsibilities for Attorney Generals, Justice and Customs; Family and Community Services; Transport; Resources; Fisheries; Disability and Sexuality Issues. He campaigned against internet censorship,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theage.com.au/technology/govt-trying-to-prevent-scrutiny-of-net-censorship-laws-20020724-gdfhap.html |title=Govt 'trying to prevent scrutiny of Net censorship laws' |date=24 July 2002 |work=[[The Age]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190721200728/https://www.theage.com.au/technology/govt-trying-to-prevent-scrutiny-of-net-censorship-laws-20020724-gdfhap.html |archive-date=21 July 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> and also served on the Joint Parliamentary Committee for the Australian Crime Commission and prompted it to investigate the trafficking of women into the Australian sex industry.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.aph.gov.au/binaries/senate/committee/acc_ctte/completed_inquiries/2002-04/sexual_servitude/report/report.pdf |title=Inquiry into the trafficking of women for sexual servitude |date=2004 |work=[[Parliament of Australia]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210722130153/https://www.aph.gov.au/binaries/senate/committee/acc_ctte/completed_inquiries/2002-04/sexual_servitude/report/report.pdf |archive-date=22 July 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Greig is mostly remembered for his pursuit of LGBTI issues, raising questions with Ministers, moving same-sex amendments to government legislation and triggering speeches from all parties on how to remedy commonwealth inequality against same-sex couples. In 2003, the conservative Howard Government which had opposed his agenda, reluctantly agreed to one of his campaigns and ended discrimination against same-sex couples in private sector Superannuation death benefits.<ref>{{Cite web |date=18 September 2003 |title=Gay hitch on super bill |url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/gay-hitch-on-super-bill-20030918-gdwd1w.html |work=[[The Age]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210603080507/https://www.theage.com.au/national/gay-hitch-on-super-bill-20030918-gdwd1w.html |archive-date=3 June 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> Along with Spindler's SOGI Bill, his advocacy across all areas of federal LGBTI discrimination has been credited with laying the foundations for the Rudd Government's ‘Same-Sex Relationships (Equal Treatment in Commonwealth Laws General Law Reform) Bill 2008.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Same-Sex Relationships (Equal Treatment in Commonwealth Laws&mdash;General Law Reform) Bill 2008|url=https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=r3060|access-date=2021-06-01|website=www.aph.gov.au|language=en-AU}}</ref>

In 2004, just prior to the election being called, Greig was one of only nine senators to vote against the ban on same-sex marriage by the Howard Government. That legislation triggered a movement for marriage equality that would last another 13 years. The ban was overturned in 2017 and Greig's pioneering speech and advocacy from 2004 was acknowledged by sitting senators and referenced in the media.<ref name=croy>{{Cite web |last=Croy |first=Liam |date=17 November 2017 |title=The day a gay WA polly took a stand in Parliament |url=https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/wa-politician-brian-greig-reflects-on-the-day-he-stood-up-for-gay-rights-in-australian-parliament-ng-b88662257z |work=[[The West Australian]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180907170020/https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/wa-politician-brian-greig-reflects-on-the-day-he-stood-up-for-gay-rights-in-australian-parliament-ng-b88662257z |archive-date=7 September 2018 |url-status=}}</ref>    

During his term in office, Greig introduced three Private Member's Bills — one to outlaw [[genocide]] in Australia, another to eliminate discrimination against LGBTI people, and another to promote government use of [[Open-source software|open source]] software. All were blocked by the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal]]–[[National Party of Australia|National]] government. Greig stood for re-election at the [[2004 Australian federal election|2004 election]], but lost his seat to [[Rachel Siewert]] of the [[Australian Greens]]. His term expired 30 June 2005.