Robert Simms is a Member of the Legislative Council in the Parliament of South Australia and Co-Leader of the South Australian Greens.
Over the past decade Robert has been a passionate advocate for progressive values and South Australian communities at every level of government. Prior to entering state parliament Robert served as a Senator for South Australia and a City of Adelaide Area Councillor, before succeeding long-serving Greens MLC Mark Parnell in May 2021. He was re-elected for an 8 year term at the March 2022 state election.
As the first out gay man to represent South Australia in federal parliament, Robert was a strong voice for LGBTI rights in Canberra, from defending Safe Schools programs to fighting for increased access to the HIV prevention medication PrEP and holding the Turnbull Government to account over its needlessly divisive Marriage Equality plebiscite.
As an Area Councillor, Robert successfully pushed the City of Adelaide to establish the Rainbow Walk on Light Square, ban pokies from Council owned buildings, divest from fossil fuels, declare a climate emergency, and introduce a $1 million Greener Streets program.
Working with Tammy Franks MLC in the state parliament, Robert is committed to fighting for action on inequality and climate change. During this term of parliament, he has advocated a range of measures to tackle the housing crisis, including introducing a Private Members Bill to cap rent prices (you can read more about Robert’s work on housing here). In 2022 his Private Members Bill to provide legal protection to food businesses that allow customers to bring their own takeaway containers passed both houses of parliament and became law.
Other priorities in the State Parliament have included banning junk food advertising on public assets, raising the age of criminal responsibility, heritage protection for the Adelaide Park Lands, making tobacco companies responsible for the waste they produce, preventing privatisation of state assets and reactivating regional rail.
You can read more about Robert’s story in his first speech to Parliament.
