One Nation MP tearfully thanks boyfriend after coming out as gay during first speech in parliament
City of Mount Gambier / Parliament of South Australia
Newly elected South Australian MP Jason Virgo became emotional during his maiden speech to parliament after publicly confirming he is gay and thanking his Indonesian Muslim boyfriend of 11 years, calling him “the love of my life.”
The One Nation politician said during his 21 May speech that, while he has been out throughout his adult life, he wanted voters to hear about his sexuality directly from him rather than through “whispers” or political attacks, adding that attempts to weaponise his identity would “say more about them than it does about me.”
Mr Virgo then spoke of his partner of 11 years, saying he was “born in Indonesia, a Muslim, and is now a proud Australian”.
Virgo also reflected on his personal and political journey, explaining that he came from a Labour-voting family before turning to One Nation because they felt “left behind by the uniparty.”
During the speech, he shared that many of his closest friends are immigrants from countries including China, India and the Philippines, and described himself as someone who “loves migrants,” while also noting that migration levels in Australia have become too high in recent years.
The MP previously ran as a candidate for the Australian S*x Party in the 2010 and 2013 federal elections before later joining One Nation. He has also worked at both the Christmas Island Immigration Detention Centre and Mount Gambier Prison.
