2025 Federal Election: Profiling the Candidates From The Electorate of Grayndler

As a part of Star Observer’s series ahead of the 2025 federal election, we’re profiling the candidates running in the electorate of  Grayndler.

With the federal election approaching, LGBTQIA+ voters in Grayndler are watching how candidates actually plan to protect rights, deliver healthcare, and challenge discrimination—without the party spin.

This year’s 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

“I love the Inner West. It’s diverse, vibrant, fun, and creative,” says Hannah Thomas, the youngest candidate running Grayndler. “As an immigrant, I’ve found the people in our community to be some of the warmest, kindest, and most generous people I’ve met.”

Living in Newtown, Thomas is a renter, lawyer and a young woman of colour—identities she says set her apart from the field. “I stick out like a sore thumb amongst my fellow candidates for Grayndler, and would stick out in Parliament as well – I reckon that’s a good reason to vote for me.”

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

A fierce supporter of LGBTQIA+ rights, Thomas says, “The Greens led the way on marriage equality, and we maintain a strong and comprehensive commitment to LGBTIQA+ rights.”

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

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

“Gender-affirming care saves lives,” she adds. “This is a wealthy country—we can afford to make it free and publicly accessible.”

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.

“Our laws should protect everyone,” she says, vowing to remove religious exemptions that allow discrimination.”

“Just as the Greens fought for equal marriage and opposed Scott Morrison’s draft laws that would have allowed discrimination against trans kids and teachers, we’ll keep pushing to reform legal provisions that enable discrimination,” 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—and she’s not afraid to call out power to make it happen, declaring that “If you want change, the first step is to vote for it.”

Rod Smith – One Nation

Rod Smith, proud tradie, father and One Nation’s candidate for Grayndler, says his connection to the electorate is personal. “My dad used to work at the Unilever plant,” 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. “More products made in Australia, less red tape, encourage self-reliance where possible.”

On supporting LGBTQIA+ people in Grayndler, Smith says he would “serve them as I would serve everyone else,” through broader policies like housing, banking and infrastructure reform.

As for supporting trans people, Smith says, “There should be support provided by specially trained counsellors. If I get elected, I would help them anyway I could.”

He says he would ensure “everyone gets affirmed the healthcare they need,” 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: “I believe queer events should be self-funded.” On “Drag Queen Hour”, he says, “I don’t 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.”

“I don’t think any group should be perceived as a government-protected group,” Smith concludes. “We are a community, and we contribute to everyone’s well-being. We don’t need supervision by government.”

Smith’s campaign frames that queer communities deserve fairness like everyone else. His message to LGBTQIA+ 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 aec.gov.au.

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