17c起草社区

As a part of 17c起草社区鈥檚聽series ahead of the 2025 federal election, we鈥檙e profiling the candidates running in the electorate of聽 Grayndler.

With the federal election approaching, 17c起草社区IA+ voters in Grayndler are watching how candidates actually plan to protect rights, deliver healthcare, and challenge discrimination鈥攚ithout the party spin.

This year鈥檚 six candidates include Hannah Thomas (Greens), Rod Smith (One Nation), David Smallbone (Liberal), Anthony Albanese (Labor), David Bradbury (Independent) and Cheri Rae Burell (Trumpet of Patriots).

Hannah Thomas – Greens for Grayndler

鈥淚 love the Inner West. It鈥檚 diverse, vibrant, fun, and creative,鈥� says Hannah Thomas, the youngest candidate running Grayndler. 鈥淎s an immigrant, I鈥檝e found the people in our community to be some of the warmest, kindest, and most generous people I鈥檝e met.鈥�

Living in Newtown, Thomas is a renter, lawyer and a young woman of colour鈥攊dentities she says set her apart from the field. 鈥淚 stick out like a sore thumb amongst my fellow candidates for Grayndler, and would stick out in Parliament as well 鈥� I reckon that鈥檚 a good reason to vote for me.鈥�

She believes Parliament needs more people like the Inner West itself鈥攓ueer, young, diverse, and too often shut out of power.

A fierce supporter of 17c起草社区IA+ rights, Thomas says, 鈥淭he Greens led the way on marriage equality, and we maintain a strong and comprehensive commitment to LGBTIQA+ rights.鈥�

That includes closing gaps in discrimination laws, appointing an LGBTIQA+ Human Rights Commissioner, and requiring government-funded services to adopt anti-discrimination protections.

She鈥檚 taken the Trans Justice Pledge, committing to defend trans youth鈥檚 access to healthcare, fight for affordable and accessible gender-affirming care, and address homelessness, poverty and unemployment in the trans community.

鈥淕ender-affirming care saves lives,鈥� she adds. 鈥淭his is a wealthy country鈥攚e can afford to make it free and publicly accessible.鈥�

Thomas says the Greens will increase funding for much needed LGBTIQA+ community-led health and mental health services, intimate partner violence support, and leadership training for trans and gender-diverse groups.

鈥淥ur laws should protect everyone,鈥� she says, vowing to remove religious exemptions that allow discrimination.”

鈥淛ust as the Greens fought for equal marriage and opposed Scott Morrison鈥檚 draft laws that would have allowed discrimination against trans kids and teachers, we鈥檒l keep pushing to reform legal provisions that enable discrimination,鈥� she adds with finality.

Thomas is fighting for a future where queer, trans, and gender-diverse people are not just protected but empowered.

Her politics centre those too often pushed to the margins鈥攁nd she鈥檚 not afraid to call out power to make it happen, declaring that 鈥淚f you want change, the first step is to vote for it.鈥�

Rod Smith 鈥� One Nation

Rod Smith, proud tradie, father and One Nation鈥檚 candidate for Grayndler, says his connection to the electorate is personal. 鈥淢y dad used to work at the Unilever plant,鈥� he recalls, describing the area as one grounded in working-class history and pride.

The longtime Inner West local’s platform focuses on reducing immigration and increasing local manufacturing. 鈥淢ore products made in Australia, less red tape, encourage self-reliance where possible.鈥�

On supporting 17c起草社区IA+ people in Grayndler, Smith says he would 鈥渟erve them as I would serve everyone else,鈥� through broader policies like housing, banking and infrastructure reform.

As for supporting trans people, Smith says, 鈥淭here should be support provided by specially trained counsellors. If I get elected, I would help them anyway I could.鈥�

He says he would ensure 鈥渆veryone gets affirmed the healthcare they need,鈥� including gender-affirming care. Smith adds that queer organisations that support young people facing stigma and mental health issues would be a priority.

When it comes to community events, his stance is clear: 鈥淚 believe queer events should be self-funded.鈥� On 鈥淒rag Queen Hour鈥�, he says, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think government should use the coercive power of the state to regulate interactions between members of a community unless there was a real risk of violence or offensive behaviour.鈥�

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think any group should be perceived as a government-protected group,鈥� Smith concludes. 鈥淲e are a community, and we contribute to everyone鈥檚 well-being. We don鈥檛 need supervision by government.鈥�

Smith鈥檚 campaign frames that queer communities deserve fairness like everyone else. His message to 17c起草社区IA+ voters: support shall come from universal policies, not shaped by labels or exemptions.

For more information on the 2025 federal election, your electorate, or to check your voting information is up to date, head to聽.

Anthony Albanese (Labor), David Bradbury (Independent) and Cheri Rae Burell (Trumpet of Patriots)聽did not respond by the time of publication.