Gay rights activist now frontline SA One Nation pollie
A newly elected South Australian One Nation MP, who once organised marriage equality rallies, now represents a party whose leader claims same-sex marriage could open the door to polygamy and child marriage.
South Australia’s new One Nation MP for MacKillop Jason Virgo was extensively involved in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender activism in the past, including campaigning for same sex marriage with the Equal Love group. He was also a former member of the Labor Party.
Virgo’s political history has emerged following South Australian One Nation leader Cory Bernardi recently backing his own controversial comments made 14 years ago when he linked gay marriage to bestiality.
InDaily has seen a 2011 article from LGBT publication Star Observer, where Virgo was quoted as condemning Christian street preachers after they disrupted a rally he organised for International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO).
“We were basically ambushed … they were fairly offensive and shouting homophobic things,” he reportedly told the Star Observer.
In the same article, Virgo criticised the same street preachers for allegedly dragging a person in a wheelchair to the ground, questioning their commitment to “mainstream Christian values”.
In an AAP article about the same incident, he is quoted as saying: “A small number of right-wing Christians came out and started waving their flags and getting in people’s faces, yelling quite loudly, some of them got in a bit of a fight”.
“It’s an International Day Against Homophobia and for them to come to us and come to our rally and say things which we find homophobic, it’s disrespectful,” he said.
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In another Glam Adelaide article in the lead-up to the rally, Virgo was quoted expressing support for sexually diverse people.
“We hope that on IDAHO, a day which highlights the struggle for equal rights of LGBTI people around the world, that politicians will listen to the growing demand of the public to give equal recognition to same-sex relationships,” he reportedly said.
The rally also included SA performer Hans, Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young and Labor MLC Ian Hunter – who is the first openly gay politician in South Australia’s parliament – as speakers.
Hunter told InDaily he did not remember Virgo from the marriage equality campaigning, but did recall when he was a member of the Labor Party.
Greens MLC Robert Simms said he and Virgo knew of each other through marriage equality campaigning, and he was surprised to see Virgo run for One Nation.
“We met or certainly knew of each other through marriage equality campaigning some time ago, so I was certainly surprised to learn that he was a candidate for One Nation … it seems like an unusual policy fit for him,” he said.
Virgo also donated 20 digital files with Adelaide marriage equality posters to the Australian Queer Archives, according to its 2021 annual report.
InDaily understands Virgo was also heavily involved in the Gay and Lesbian Counselling Services at the former AIDS Council of South Australia.
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It comes after previous media reports that Virgo ran for the progressive Sex Party in the 2010 federal election.
Despite multiple attempts, InDaily was unable to contact Virgo to ask if his views remained the same on LGBT rights.
When asked about his candidacy for the Sex Party last week, Virgo said his views had evolved since he was a teenager.
“I was a kid, basically. We grow up, we learn new things, we change our views as we age, and that’s just a reality,” he said.
Among its LGBT policies, One Nation supports banning puberty blockers for children, while One Nation leader Pauline Hanson previously said gay marriage would “open a can of worms” that could lead to polygamy and underage marriages.
SA Leader Cory Bernardi told the Senate in 2012 in relation to same-sex marriage that “[t]he next step, quite frankly, is having three people or four people that love each other being able to enter into a permanent union endorsed by society — or any other type of relationship”.
Pride Adelaide chair Dave Newman said that the election of One Nation candidates would cause concern for many in the LGBT community.
“That concern is valid. Some of the party’s positions do not align with the inclusive, respectful South Australia we know and expect,” he said.
“Our stance is firm. Equality is not up for debate. Every person deserves to feel safe, seen, and supported.
“We will keep showing up. We will keep advocating. And we will keep building spaces across South Australia where queer communities are visible, valued, and included.”
One Nation declined to comment.
According to the South Australian Electoral Commission, Virgo narrowly won the seat of MacKillop with 12,115 votes on a two-party preferred basis compared to Liberal candidate Rebekah Rosser’s 11,732 votes.
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