Alex Greenwich

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix =

| name = Alex Greenwich

| honorific-suffix = MP

| image = Alex Greenwich outside APH (cropped).jpg

| imagesize =

| office =

| constituency_MP = Sydney

| parliament = New South Wales

| term_start = 27 October 2012

| term_end =

| predecessor = Clover Moore

| successor =

| birth_name = Alexander Hart Greenwich

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1980|11|28}}

| birth_place = Wellington, New Zealand

| death_date =

| death_place =

| nationality = Australian

| spouse = {{Marriage|Victor Hoeld|May 2012}}

| party = Independent

| otherparty = Clover Moore Independent Team

| relations =

| residence = Darlinghurst{{cite web |at=Candidates |title=The Legislative Assembly District of Sydney |url=https://elections.nsw.gov.au/elections/state-government-elections/2023-state-general-election/candidates/sydney |publisher=New South Wales Electoral Commission |access-date=3 April 2023 |archive-date=3 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230403055636/https://elections.nsw.gov.au/elections/state-government-elections/2023-state-general-election/candidates/sydney |url-status=dead }}

| alma_mater = University of New South Wales

| profession = Politician

| religion =

| signature = Alex Greenwich signature 2019.svg

| website =

| footnotes =

| caption = Greenwich in 2017

}}

Alexander Hart Greenwich (born 28 November 1980) is an Australian politician. He is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, representing the seat of Sydney since the 2012 Sydney by-election. He ran as an independent and was backed by his predecessor, independent Clover Moore.

He was also the co-chair of Australian Marriage Equality and one of the key leaders of the successful "Yes" campaign for the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey in 2017 and abortion legalisation within New South Wales in 2019. He is a proponent of LGBTQ rights by helping to pass laws that respond to issues within the LGBTQ community. He helped legalise voluntary assisted dying in 2022.

Early years and background

Greenwich was born in New Zealand to a Georgian father and American mother. His father, Victor Greenwich Dadianov (formerly the Honorary Consul-General of Georgia in Sydney, 2004–2013), was born Prince Victor Dadianov of the princely Georgian Dadiani family but his mother changed the name to Greenwich after they moved as refugees to New Zealand from Russia after the Second World War.{{cite news|last=Meacham|first=Steve|title=Out of Steppes with fashion, but it's still a princely outfit|url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/09/19/1063625218278.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250126184954/http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/09/19/1063625218278.html|archive-date=26 January 2025|access-date=8 July 2013|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=20 September 2003}} At the age of seven, Greenwich moved with his family to Sydney. From his family residence in Circular Quay, Greenwich was educated at Sydney Grammar School and completed a Bachelor of Arts in Human Resource Management and Russian Studies at the University of New South Wales.{{cite news|last=Baker|first=Jordan|title=Why our proud MP Alex Greenwich is first among equals|url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/why-our-proud-mp-alex-greenwich-is-first-among-equals/news-story/f6d65c0efb17ead1092238e00872e430|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20250311015013/https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/why-our-proud-mp-alex-greenwich-is-first-among-equals/news-story/f6d65c0efb17ead1092238e00872e430|access-date=4 November 2012|url-status=live|archive-date=11 March 2025|newspaper=The Sunday Telegraph|date=4 November 2012}} From 1 December 1998 to 1 December 2012, Greenwich was the Managing Director of his own recruiting agency, Winning Attitudes Recruitment.{{cite NSW Parliament |name=Mr (Alex) Alexander Hart GREENWICH, MP |id=98 |access-date=26 August 2018}}

He is a direct descendant of the House of Dadiani, one of the oldest royal houses in Eastern Europe.{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/the-european-prince-who-could-be-nsw-s-new-kingmaker-20230309-p5cqvs.html|title=The European prince who could be NSW's new kingmaker|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=4 May 2023|archive-date=25 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230525150623/https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/the-european-prince-who-could-be-nsw-s-new-kingmaker-20230309-p5cqvs.html|first=Jordan|last=Baker|url-status=live|date=13 March 2023}}

Personal life

Greenwich is an openly gay male MP in the NSW Legislative Assembly. Before entering politics, Greenwich was a prominent LGBT rights activist and led Australian Marriage Equality (AME).{{Cite web|title=The Board|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250117112400/https://www.australianmarriageequality.org/theboardandtheteam/|archive-date=17 January 2025|at=Alex Greenwich|url=https://www.australianmarriageequality.org/theboardandtheteam/|access-date=2020-10-06|website=www.australianmarriageequality.org}}

Prior to running for office, Greenwich was the national convener of AME from 2009, and in 2010 was named as one of Samesame.com.au's 25 most influential gay and lesbian Australians.{{cite web|title=Alex Greenwich |url=http://www.samesame.com.au/25/2010/AlexGreenwich |work=25 Most Influential Gay and Lesbian Australians |publisher=Samesame.com.au |access-date=27 October 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120917070339/http://www.samesame.com.au/25/2010/AlexGreenwich |archive-date=17 September 2012 }} As national convener, Greenwich organised over 44,000 submissions to be made to the 2011 Australian Senate inquiry into same-sex marriage, and continues to be a prominent activist for achieving same-sex marriage reform in Australia. In May 2012, Greenwich married his German Australian long-term partner, Victor Hoeld, in Argentina, where same-sex marriage was already legal.{{cite news|url-access=registration|last=Harrison|first=Dan|title=Push for Gillard to review gay marriage|url=http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/push-for-gillard-to-review-gay-marriage-20120513-1yl0j.html|access-date=28 October 2012|newspaper=theage.com.au|date=14 May 2012|archive-date=22 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022112359/http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/push-for-gillard-to-review-gay-marriage-20120513-1yl0j.html|url-status=live}}

As of 2017 Greenwich has triple Australian, New Zealand and United States citizenship.{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/dual-citizenship-laws-are-a-tangle-of-contradictions-for-nsw-mps-20171116-gzmd9f.html|first=Sean|last=Nicholls|title=Dual citizenship laws are a tangle of contradictions for NSW MPs|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=15 April 2023|archive-date=9 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109043625/https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/dual-citizenship-laws-are-a-tangle-of-contradictions-for-nsw-mps-20171116-gzmd9f.html|url-status=live}} Shortly before this was publicised, Greenwich had renounced his New Zealand citizenship.

In 2023, Greenwich was one of those honoured as part of the 'Pride 2023' campaign. During this Sydney's Queen Victoria Building (QVB) underwent a transformation, including a temporary renaming, celebrating Sydney WorldPride. The QVB paid tribute to five members of the LGBTQIA+ community by capturing them as ‘Real Queens’ in a series of royal–style portraits.{{cite web |last=Baker |first=Danica |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230505171029/https://thebrag.com/qvb-world-pride/ |archive-date=5 May 2023 |url=https://thebrag.com/qvb-world-pride/|title=QVB will be renamed after five iconic queens for Sydney World Pride |website= The Brag Media |date=6 February 2023 |access-date=2 July 2023}} For WorldPride, Greenwich swapped his signature casual suit and shirt for a tuxedo with green tulle in a display that was hosted in the QVB.{{cite web |url=https://concreteplayground.com/australia/arts-entertainment/mp-alex-greenwich-sydney-worldpride-tips |access-date=4 May 2023 |date=24 February 2023 |url-status=live |archive-date=26 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250126184444/https://concreteplayground.com/australia/arts-entertainment/mp-alex-greenwich-sydney-worldpride-tips |title=MP Alex Greenwich Shares His Favourite Queer Hot Spots and Celebrations for Sydney WorldPride |website= Concrete Playground}}

=Lawsuit against Mark Latham=

In May 2023, Greenwich announced he would be launching defamation action against Mark Latham for his homophobic tweet about Greenwich, following Greenwich criticizing Latham over an event he was speaking at where pro-LGBT protesters demonstrating against his appearance were attacked. Greenwich has also made a formal complaint to police against Latham, for using a carriage service to harass and offend, and has also lodged a complaint of homosexual vilification to the anti-discrimination board.{{cite news |first=Ashleigh |last=Raper |title=Independent MP Alex Greenwich to sue One Nation's Mark Latham for defamation over tweet |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-18/alex-greenwich-to-sue-mark-latham-for-defamation-over-tweet/102360646 |newspaper=ABC News (Australia) |date=2023-05-18 |access-date=2023-06-06 }}

On 11 September 2024, the Federal Court ruled that the tweet was defamatory. Judge David O'Callaghan found that the tweet was defamatory because it made Greenwich out to be a person that "engages in disgusting sexual activities". He rejected Latham's defenses, a statutory defense of honest opinion and a common law defense of qualified privilege, right of reply to attack. Greenwich also claimed that the tweet conveyed that Greenwich was not a fit and proper person to be a member of the New South Wales Parliament, however the judge found that allegation not proven. The court awarded Greenwich $140,000 in damages. Greenwich praised the judgement, saying "It gives me confidence that we've established some case law here that can protect other LGBTQ people", and that "The strength of this judgment is that we're that it is made clear that this Trump-style political attack on your opponents based on their sexuality, based on whatever you want to attack them for, has no place in the Australian public political discourse".{{Cite news |date=2024-09-11 |title=Sydney MP Alex Greenwich awarded $140,000 after suing former One Nation NSW leader Mark Latham over defamation |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-11/alex-greenwich-awarded-suing-mark-lathan-defamation/104336472 |access-date=2024-09-14 |work=ABC News |first=Jamie |last=McKinnell |language=en-AU}}{{Cite news |last=Rose |first=Tamsin |date=2024-09-10 |title=Alex Greenwich wins defamation case against Mark Latham, hopes it will end ‘Trump-style attacks’ in politics |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/sep/11/alex-greenwich-wins-defamation-case-against-mark-latham-over-2023-tweet |access-date=2024-09-14 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}{{cite news |work=The Conversation |url=https://theconversation.com/alex-greenwichs-defamation-win-against-mark-latham-shows-political-spite-is-not-above-the-law-238767 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250226115535/https://theconversation.com/alex-greenwichs-defamation-win-against-mark-latham-shows-political-spite-is-not-above-the-law-238767 |archive-date=26 February 2025 |access-date=26 February 2025 |title=Alex Greenwich’s defamation win against Mark Latham shows political spite is not above the law |date=12 September 2024 |first=Rick |last=Sarre |url-status=live}}

Political career

File:Alex Greenwich outside APH.jpg

In July 2012, Greenwich aligned himself with prominent independent Lord Mayor of Sydney Clover Moore and announced his candidacy on Moore's ticket for the Sydney City Council elections scheduled for the NSW local government elections in September 2012.{{cite news|last=Ozturk |first=Serkan |title=Alex Greenwich enters politics, joins Clover's team |url=http://gaynewsnetwork.com.au/news/northern-territory/7776-alex-greenwich-enters-politics-joins-clover-s-team.html |access-date=8 July 2013 |newspaper=SX Gay News Network |date=18 July 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102071211/http://gaynewsnetwork.com.au/news/northern-territory/7776-alex-greenwich-enters-politics-joins-clover-s-team.html |archive-date=2 November 2012 }} This low (and therefore most likely unelectable) position on the ticket fuelled speculation that this was to increase Greenwich's visibility for a possible run to succeed Moore should she be forced to resign her state seat of Sydney in light of promised reforms by the O'Farrell Liberal/National government to ban MPs from serving on local government bodies.{{cite news|last=Ozturk |first=Serkan |title=Greenwich remains coy on state parliament run |url=http://gaynewsnetwork.com.au/news/national/8329-greenwich.html |access-date=8 July 2013 |newspaper=SX Gay News Network |date=16 August 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102071406/http://gaynewsnetwork.com.au/news/national/8329-greenwich.html |archive-date=2 November 2012 }} This legislation was subsequently passed as the {{Cite Legislation AU|NSW|repealed_act|lgaopa2012448|Local Government Amendment (Members of Parliament) Act 2012}}{{cite press release|title=Law passed to prohibit 'dual roles' in NSW |date=3 April 2012 |access-date=15 September 2012 |author=Page, Don |author-link=Don Page (politician) |url=http://www.dlg.nsw.gov.au/dlg/dlghome/documents/Information/Media%20Release%20-%20Laws%20passed%20to%20prohibit%20dual%20roles%20in%20NSW.pdf |publisher=Government of New South Wales |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130823161419/http://www.dlg.nsw.gov.au/dlg/dlghome/documents/Information/Media%20Release%20-%20Laws%20passed%20to%20prohibit%20dual%20roles%20in%20NSW.pdf |archive-date=23 August 2013 }} and following the local government elections in which Moore was re-elected for a third term as lord mayor, Moore resigned her seat in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, triggering a by-election.{{cite news|title=Clover retires after 24 years in the chamber|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-09-20/clover-leaves/4271208|access-date=8 July 2013|newspaper=ABC News|date=20 September 2012|archive-date=26 September 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120926211742/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-09-20/clover-leaves/4271208|url-status=live}}

Greenwich subsequently contested the 2012 Sydney by-election as an independent with the endorsement of Moore, comfortably defeating Shayne Mallard of the Liberal Party with a 47.3 percent primary and 63.7 percent two-candidate preferred vote.{{cite web|last=Green|first=Antony|title=Results|url=http://www.abc.net.au/elections/nsw/2012/sydney/result.htm|work=2012 Sydney by-election|publisher=ABC Elections|access-date=8 July 2013|archive-date=29 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200629062535/https://www.abc.net.au/elections/nsw/2012/sydney/result.htm|url-status=live}} Greenwich said after the by-election that it was "very clear Barry O'Farrell's legislation has backfired – because now there are two of us".{{cite news|title=Clover laws backfire, says Sydney winner|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/clover-laws-backfire-says-sydney-winner-20121027-28by4.html|access-date=11 March 2025|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=27 October 2012|first1=Adam|last1=Bennett|last2=Mann|first2=Toby|url-status=live|archive-date=11 March 2025|archive-url=https://archive.today/20250311010557/https://www.smh.com.au/national/clover-laws-backfire-says-sydney-winner-20121027-28by4.html}} Greenwich has denied claims that he is a single-issue politician,{{cite news|agency=AAP|title=Greenwich rejects 'single issue' claims|url=http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/greenwich-rejects-single-issue-claims-20121028-28de5.html|access-date=8 July 2013|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=28 October 2012|archive-date=9 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130109155753/http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/greenwich-rejects-single-issue-claims-20121028-28de5.html|url-status=live}} having gone to the by-election on a platform involving a range of policy areas, including small business, the re-establishment of an inner-city public high school, and social welfare and public housing, among others.{{cite web|title=Greenwich 'passionate' about many issues |first=Sam |last=McKeith |date=28 October 2012 |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/greenwich-passionate-about-many-issues-20121028-28ddb.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231130152120/https://www.smh.com.au/national/greenwich-passionate-about-many-issues-20121028-28ddb.html |url-status=live |archive-date=30 November 2023 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |access-date=11 March 2025 }}

Greenwich introduced the Reproductive Health Care Reform Bill 2019 into the New South Wales Legislative Assembly on 1 August 2019, in a bid to decriminalise abortion in New South Wales, allow abortions for up to 22 weeks, and permit an abortion after 22 weeks if two medical practitioners agree. The bill passed the parliament on 26 September and was given royal assent on 2 October 2019 as the Abortion Law Reform Act 2019.{{cite news |work=SBS News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250226113754/https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/abortion-has-been-decriminalised-in-nsw-and-heres-what-will-actually-change/6f253sisq |archive-date=26 February 2025 |url-status=live |date=30 September 2019 |first=Maani |last=Truu |access-date=26 February 2025 |title=Abortion has been decriminalised in NSW, and here’s what will actually change |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/abortion-has-been-decriminalised-in-nsw-and-heres-what-will-actually-change/6f253sisq}}{{cite web |title=Reproductive Health Care Reform Bill |url=https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/bills/Pages/bill-details.aspx?pk=3654 |publisher=New South Wales Parliament |access-date=3 October 2019 |archive-date=18 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200518094702/https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/bills/Pages/bill-details.aspx?pk=3654 |url-status=live }}

In October 2021, Greenwich introduced the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2021. This bill later passed parliament and allows people to end their lives if they have a terminal illness. It passed both chambers of parliament and received royal assent in May 2022.{{cite news |work=ABC News |first1=Ashleigh |last1=Raper |last2=Bowden |first2=Phoebe |first3=Heath |last3=Parkes-Upton |date=19 May 2022 |title=NSW's voluntary assisted dying laws pass after marathon debate in parliament |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-19/voluntary-assisted-dying-laws-pass/101079940 |archive-date=12 February 2025 |access-date=11 March 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250212103720/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-19/voluntary-assisted-dying-laws-pass/101079940 |url-status=live}}

Greenwich also supported and introduced the Equality Legislation Amendment (LGBTIQA+) Bill 2023 which was passed by members of New South Wales's Parliament on 17 October 2024.{{cite news |work=ABC News |title=NSW parliament passes equality bill, allowing transgender people to change their birth certificates without surgery |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-18/nsw-parliament-equality-bill-passes-transgender-greenwich/104487170 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250226112435/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-18/nsw-parliament-equality-bill-passes-transgender-greenwich/104487170 |url-status=live |date=18 October 2024 |first=Nick |last=Dole |archive-date=26 February 2025 |access-date=26 February 2025}}

References

External links

[http://www.alexgreenwich.com Alex Greenwich – Independent for Sydney]
[https://www.fedcourt.gov.au/services/access-to-files-and-transcripts/online-files/greenwich-v-latham Greenwich v Latham] Federal Court of Australia online file