Stephen Bates

Bates was born in Croydon, South London; his family moved to Australia during the financial crisis of 2007–2008, settling in the central Queensland town of Yeppoon.

Bates studied at the University of Queensland, originally for a Bachelor of International Hotel and Tourism Management. While studying, he went to the United States to pursue a work opportunity. Bates has stated that his experience in the United States is what convinced him to enter politics, specifically his encountering of a coworker crying over whether to buy insulin or pay her rent.

When Bates moved back to Australia he changed his degree to a Bachelor of Social Science with a major in social and public policy, and graduated under that degree.{{cite web | url=https://www.stephenbates.com.au/about | title=About Me|website=Stephen Bates: Greens for Brisbane|publisher=Australian Greens}} Prior to being elected, Bates was a retail employee and a member of the Retail and Fast Food Workers Union.{{cite news |title=Stephen Bates – Greens for Brisbane |url=https://www.facebook.com/100067902930344/posts/319318593674903 |work=Facebook |language=en}}{{cite news |title=Greens MP-Elect Stephen Bates Has A Couple More Retail Shifts To Pull Before Going To Canberra |url=https://www.pedestrian.tv/federal-election-australia/greens-stephen-bates-retail-work-brisbane-mp-elect/ |access-date=20 June 2022 |work=Pedestrian|last1=Fry|first1=Courtney |date=30 May 2022}}

Bates first ran for office at the 2020 Queensland state election for the seat of Stafford. Bates was then the nominee of the Australian Greens for the Division of Brisbane in the 2022 Australian federal election, defeating incumbent MP Trevor Evans. Bates' campaign was noted for its use of geo-located Grindr advertisements with risqué slogans, such as promoting that "the best parliaments are hung".{{cite news |title=Australian Greens party Grindr election ad: a gifted strategy or just grating? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/05/australian-greens-party-grindr-election-ad-a-gifted-strategy-or-just-grating |access-date=28 May 2022 |work=The Guardian|last1=Shepherd|first1=Tory|date=5 May 2022 |language=en}} In an interview with radio station B105 FM, Bates credited the ads as a vital component of his election victory.{{cite web|url=https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2022/05/30/australia-mp-stephen-bates-gay-grindr/|title=Newly-minted Australian Greens MP Stephen Bates has attributed his election success to a vivacious Grindr ad campaign|website=Pink News|last1=Hansford|first1=Amelia|date=May 30, 2022|accessdate=June 2, 2022}}

{{Electoral history begin|title=Legislative Assembly of Queensland{{Cite web |date=12 November 2021 |title=2020 State General Election |url=https://results.elections.qld.gov.au/state2020/stafford/primary |access-date=13 December 2023 |website=Electoral Commission of Queensland}}}}

{{Electoral history election

|rows = 1

|electorate = Stafford

|party = greens

|year = 2020

|votes_firstpreference = 5,578

|percent_firstpreference = 16.43

|change_firstpreference = {{decrease}} {{figure space|2}}1.85

|position = Third

|elected = Excluded

}}

{{End}}

{{Electoral history begin|title=House of Representatives{{Cite web |date=13 June 2022 |title=Brisbane, QLD - AEC Tally Room |url=https://results.aec.gov.au/27966/Website/HouseDivisionPage-27966-156.htm |access-date=13 December 2023 |website=AEC Tally Room}}}}

{{Electoral history election

|number_elections = 1

|electorate = Brisbane

|party = greens

|year = 2022

|votes_firstpreference = 29,641

|percent_firstpreference = 27.24

|change_firstpreference = {{increase}} {{figure space|2}}4.87

|position = Third

|votes_twocandidate = 58,460

|percent_twocandidate = 53.73

|change_twocandidate = {{increase}} 53.73

|elected = Elected

}}

{{End}}

Bates is openly gay{{Cite web |last=Stewart |first=Ky |date=2024-08-20 |title=Stephen Bates Interview: Queer Rights, HECs, And Protesting |url=https://junkee.com/longforms/stephen-bates-interview |access-date=2025-02-24 |website=Junkee |language=en}} and joined the Greens on the night of the 2019 Federal election. He graduated UQ with a Bachelor of Social Science with a major in social and public policy.{{cite web|url=https://westender.com.au/could-the-lgbtqi-vote-make-a-difference-in-brisbane/|title=Could the LGBTQI Vote Make a Difference in Brisbane|last1=Bowman|first1=Jan|date=May 19, 2022|accessdate=May 28, 2022|website=Westender}}

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.stephenbates.com.au/ Official website]
• [https://greens.org.au/qld/person/stephen-bates Stephen Bates' profile] on the Queensland Greens website
• [https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Parliamentarian?MPID=300246 Stephen Bates' profile] on the Parliament of Australia website
• {{commons category-inline}}

{{s-start}}

{{s-par|au}}

{{s-bef|before=Trevor Evans}}

{{s-ttl|title=Member for Brisbane|years=2022–present}}

{{s-inc}}

{{end}}

{{Current House of Representatives crossbench}}

{{Queensland Representatives}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bates, Stephen}}

Category:1992 births

Category:Living people

Category:Australian Greens members of the Parliament of Australia

Category:Members of the Australian House of Representatives

Category:Members of the Australian House of Representatives for Brisbane

Category:LGBTQ legislators in Australia

Category:LGBTQ people from London

Category:Australian gay politicians

Category:Politicians from the London Borough of Croydon

Category:Trade unionists from Brisbane

Category:People from Yeppoon

Category:English emigrants to Australia

Category:University of Queensland alumni

{{AustralianGreens-politician-stub}}

Category:Australian MPs 2022–2025