LGBTIQ+ Advisory Council

Robyn has an extensive history of LGBTIQ+ rights activism, commencing in 1975 when she joined the Executive Committee of CAMP (Campaign Against Moral Persecution) NSW, Australia’s first national gay and lesbian rights organisation. Robyn is a 78er – a participant in the first Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

Robyn is highly regarded in NSW LGBTIQ+ communities for her decades of service to advancing equality and inclusion through a wide range of leadership roles and with organisations including with Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, InterPride, Sydney WorldPride, Qtopia Sydney, and currently as Co-Chair of First Mardi Gras 78ers. She was awarded the ACON Community Hero award in 2018, and during Sydney WorldPride 2023 accepted the key to the City of Sydney on behalf of past and present heroes of the Pride movement.

Robyn has worked at senior levels in both the public and not for profit sector working across social and affordable housing, homelessness, Aboriginal housing, disability and health.

Justin is highly regarded in LGBTQ+ communities for his leadership at ACON since 2015 and work within LGBTQ+ community organisations for almost 20 years.

As ACON’s President, Justin has considerable expertise in HIV prevention and support, LGBTQ+ rights, and has demonstrated his ability to connect, educate and empower the community. He is also recognised as a long-serving Convenor of the NSW Gay and Lesbians Rights Lobby.

Internationally, he is a member of the Universal Health Coverage Movement Political Panel and a former co-chair of UHC2030, the global multistakeholder partnership for Universal Health Coverage, as well as a member of multiple WHO expert panels.

Justin is a Distinguished Fellow and Honorary Professorial Fellow at The George Institute for Global Health, and Adjunct Associate Professor in the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of New South Wales.

Justin is not only passionate about advocacy but also holds a PhD in pure mathematics and works professionally in management and finance.

Anna is a highly respected lawyer and human rights advocate recognised nationally for her leadership and action with LGBTIQ+ communities, as the Chief Executive Officer of Equality Australia.

Anna has worked closely with LGBTIQ+ advocates, organisations, communities, and politicians across the country to influence some of the most significant legislative, policy and social reforms, including the landmark national ‘Yes’ marriage equality campaign. She has overseen strategic litigation to advance marriage equality and recognise gender diversity. Anna was also instrumental in the world’s largest LGBTIQ+ human rights conference at Sydney WorldPride in 2023.

Anna’s recent advocacy has focused on the successful passage of the amended Equality Legislation Amendment (LGBTIQA+) 2023 through the NSW Parliament; the introduction of legislation to ban conversion practices in South Australia and New South Wales; and campaigning for the inclusion of sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics in the 2026 Australian Census.

Anna has also been appointed to the ACT Restricted Medical Treatment Assessment Board in recognition of her expertise in the area of intersex medical treatment.

In 2019, Anna received the Medal of the Order of Australia for services to human rights and the LGBTIQ+ Community.

Morgan is a bioethicist and Associate Professor at Sydney Health Ethics in the University of Sydney School of Public Health. He is also Executive Director of Intersex Human Rights Australia (IHRA), a national charity by and for people with innate variations of sex characteristics (IVSCs, also known as intersex variations/differences of sex development).

Morgan is a human rights defender and community leader with lived experience of an IVSC. Morgan’s particular interest within the intersex movement is to build community, and coherent, ethical and effective infrastructure, including regulation, norms, and community-owned organisations.

At the University of Sydney, Morgan leads a Medical Research Futures Fund project on models of care for people with innate variations of sex characteristics, with a consortium including Canberra Health Services, community organisations, 8 universities and a medical research institution.

Morgan has also been appointed to the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care expert advisory group for a 10-year action plan on LGBTIQA+ health and wellbeing, and the ACT’s Variations in Sex Characteristics Restricted Medical Treatment Assessment Board.

Danny Dalton is a proud Gomeroi gay man and an Aboriginal advocate for LGBTIQ+ rights, focusing on the intersection of Indigenous identity and sexuality.

Danny has worked extensively to promote awareness and inclusion of LGBTIQ+ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people within both the broader LGBTIQ+ community and Indigenous communities. Danny holds qualifications in mental health and has experience working in Aboriginal education support, youth work, mental health, and community development.

Danny has been the Chairperson of his Local Aboriginal Lands Council, is a committee member of the Tamworth Pride Group, and organises events in the community.

Brad is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander man and former member of the LGBT Advisory Committee for the City of Stonnington in Victoria.

As a member of the Committee, he advocated for equality and inclusion by identifying systematic discrimination and providing advice on relevant Council policies, plans, programs, and services that may impact marginalised community members.

Brad also holds a Master of Public Administration and a Graduate Certificate in Public Policy. Through these qualifications, Brad has developed a deep understanding of policy development, implementation, and evaluation, with a particular focus on social equity and inclusion.

Through his experience in the public service, Brad brings his expertise in Government operations and LGBTIQ+ community advocacy to the Council. 

Will is a passionate young advocate for LGBTIQ+ rights, focusing on mental health, transgender rights and inclusion, and youth engagement. He has lived experience as a young trans person and is one of the Deputy Presidents of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Choir.

Will has recently completed a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Education where he has been involved in running events on campus.

Will’s expertise and insights come from his own, friends and peers’ lived experience. He is committed to furthering the interests of the whole community, those of different ethnicities, those with disabilities, and those who do not live in metropolitan areas.

Veronica is a high-performance coach and speaker with a passion for resilience and adaptive thinking. Prior to establishing her high-performance business, she practised law at Google and Baker McKenzie.

A dedicated advocate for LGBTIQ+ business owners, Veronica was the visionary and organiser behind the first-ever LGBTIQ+ Pride Pitch Night in the southern hemisphere, held in February 2024 in collaboration with Fishburners. This initiative has helped Veronica forge strong connections within the NSW LGBTIQ+ business and entrepreneurial communities. Additionally, she is a Pinnacle Foundation Alumna and serves as an NSW Committee Member, contributing to the Foundation’s initiatives across NSW.

Veronica recently completed the LGBTIQA+ Executive Fellowship at the University of Sydney (2024), which has enabled her to help develop leaders and increase their strategic thinking and mindsets required for success. She hopes to bring these insights and tools to the LGBTIQ+ Council.

Benjamin works in intersectional spaces connecting diverse communities on realities facing LGBTIQ+ people of faith as well as people from culturally minoritized backgrounds for the past 20 years. Benjamin continues to work in areas of interfaith, cross-cultural development and human rights in his various capacities.

As a proud queer person of colour coming from the Catholic Christian tradition and the global south, Benjamin helped established the Global Network of Rainbow Catholics in 2015 as the founding Secretary. They served as Co-Chair of the national LGBTIQA+ affirming ecumenical organization Equal Voices and chair Rainbow Catholics Interagency Australia – the umbrella body of LGBTIQA+ affirming Catholic ministries in Australia.

Benjamin is co-founder and National Convenor of the Asian Australian Alliance and serves in various boards and committees including as Board Director of Forcibly Displaced People Network for LGBTIQA+ refugees. They work as a Professional Supervisor to leaders in various professions and ministries. 

Chris is an American-Australian social scientist and Senior Lecturer at the University of Sydney, specialising in public policy with a focus on LGBTIQ+ issues.

Chris is also the Associate Dean of Student Affairs, through which they have led efforts to establish campus-wide engagement and outreach for LGBTIQ+ students.

Their research has influenced policy changes, particularly in the areas of anti-discrimination and mental health. Chris is the author of three books, as well as numerous academic articles, and spent eighteen years working in Washington D.C where they gained experience as a lobbyist, consultant, and presidential campaign aide.

In their academic career, Chris also conducted the first survey on LGBTQ+ activism in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and South Africa.

Victoria has over 17 years of experience with conducting national and international research about queer youth, queer scientists and gender and sexuality in sport.

Victoria has also taught teacher-trainees about why and how to shift school practices and cultures to be more inclusive of gender and sexuality diversity.

Her areas of research also include self-harm and suicidal feelings amongst LGBTIQ+ youth, and the prevention of sexual and gendered violence amongst young people.

As a Senior Lecturer at the University of Sydney, Victoria has published a book and numerous academic articles, as well as been awarded multiple times for her research excellence, mentoring and teaching.

Ian is an actor, advocate and professional sporting identity. He played Rugby League professionally from 1985-1998, including in the NSW State of Origin squad and the Australian Team.

In 1994 – at the height of his sporting career –Ian publicly came out as a gay man. He was the first man in Australian professional team sports to do so. He has since become a strong advocate for LGBTIQ rights, particularly in sports and the area of mental health.

Having publicly campaigned for a Sydney LGBTIQ Museum since 2016, Ian is a founding member and Director of Qtopia Sydney. He is an ambassador for various sports initiatives including Proud2Play and is a patron of Pride in Sports.

Ian is an experienced wellbeing educator who developed and delivered diversity programs for the NRL and other organisations. He has studied acting at the National Institute of Dramatic Arts and acted on film and television at a national and international level.

Nicholas is a renowned human rights lawyer providing legal services and representation to LGBTIQ+ clients, particularly in criminal and mental health proceedings, as well as representing clients facing discrimination, bullying and vilification for their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Nicholas has also led a civil society campaign for two parliamentary inquiries and the recent Special Commission of Inquiry into institutional responses to LGBTIQ+ hate crimes and homicides. In 2023, he was jointly awarded the ACON NSW President's Award and, in 2022, the Law Society of NSW’s President’s Award.

Nicholas is currently President of Australian Lawyers for Human Rights, Adjunct Fellow at the University of Technology, Sydney, a former Director of Rainbow Families NSW and a former long-standing pro bono lawyer at the Inner-City Legal Centre.

Cris is a Research Fellow and sociologist, with a Masters in the Sociology of Gender and a PhD in social policy. They are also a member of the organising committee of Parents for Trans Youth Equity, which is a NSW advocacy group that lobbies for the rights of trans children and young people.

Cris’ research informs practice and policy, with a focus on children, young people and families living with adversity, and gender equity in educational institutions. They are currently publishing findings from interviews with parents of transgender children and young people about their experiences with health services, schools and other government agencies across Australia, particularly in NSW.

Cris teaches in the School of Medicine and School of Education at Western Sydney University, and is a committee member of Rainbow Western, the network of LGBTQI+ staff at Western Sydney University.

Kelly is a trans woman, mother and small business owner living in regional NSW.

She has worked in campaigns with ACON and Equality Australia. She was featured on channel 10’s ‘The Project’ and ABC North Coast where she shared her story as a trans woman in the male-dominated earthmoving industry. Kelly has used her business, the ‘Queen of Dirt’, to educate others about what it means to be transgender.

In her community, Kelly has led initiatives to create safe and inclusive spaces for LGBTQIA+ people and advocated for anti-discrimination policies in workplaces, schools, and local establishments with success. Kelly plays a key role in organising local events that foster inclusivity and raise awareness for LGBTQIA+ rights.

Her main areas of focus include the implementation of policies that prevent public misinformation about trans issues and trans lives and ensuring the wellbeing and protection of trans minors and adults in NSW. She passionately supports her extensive trans and gender diverse network, especially during periods of harmful public debate and exclusion.

Kelly is also a qualified carpenter, pilot instructor and actively assisted in flood rescues during the 2022 disaster by using her personal equipment to help save lives and support the community.

Charbel is an accessibility and inclusion specialist working in the LGBTQ+ Disability space for almost a decade. He has immersed himself in projects and collaborations that blend his biggest passions: social justice, community development and education. These collaborations include partners such as the City of Sydney, ACON and the Disability Royal Commission. As a Lived Experience practitioner, he co-founded and leads the Sydney Disability and Queer Community group and currently works as the Social and Disability Inclusion lead at LGBTIQ+ Health Australia.