Aiv Puglielli says Victoria’s election could shape the future of LGBTQIA+ equality, and urges voters to check candidates’ records rather than trust online noise. The Greens MP’s path from the arts to Parliament informs his call for stronger representation, well-supported queer services and clear commitments from those seeking office.

Puglielli sees politics as high-stakes theatre

A theatre background, Aiv Puglielli jokes, is useful preparation for Parliament: both involve big personalities, though the political consequences are more serious. The Victorian Greens MP says arts study also helped him find community and a sense of belonging when he was growing up with few queer role models. (Star Observer; Victorian Greens)

The COVID-19 pandemic helped turn that experience into a political path. Puglielli was involved with the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance as artists campaigned for support, and says frustration with short-term responses helped prompt him to join the Greens. (Star Observer; Victorian Greens)

He now wants more queer creatives to bring their ideas into public life, and argues that trans and gender-diverse people need a direct voice in decisions affecting them. Representation, in his view, isn't a decorative extra; it changes who gets heard when policy is made. (Star Observer; Victorian Greens)

Why LGBTQIA+ voters are watching this election

Puglielli warns that the Victorian election carries a risk of setbacks for LGBTQIA+ equality. He credits Labor with work on anti-vilification protections and support for intersex people, but argues that failures to meet broader community needs have also helped create space for far-right politics. (Star Observer; Victorian Greens)

He is concerned, too, about political support and resources for queer community spaces, services and media. Those institutions help people find information and connection, and losing them would be especially damaging when public debate is tense. (Star Observer; Victorian Greens)

The Victorian Parliament’s inquiry into anti-LGBTQIA+ hate crimes examined attacks involving dating apps, including incidents affecting gay and bisexual men. Puglielli, who led the inquiry, has described hearing from victim-survivors as emotionally difficult but necessary to understand how hate escalates into harm. (Victorian Parliament; Hansard)

Look for evidence, not just election slogans

For voters deciding where to put their support, Puglielli recommends checking what local candidates have actually said and committed to, rather than relying on social media feeds or search results alone. His central challenge is simple: if a candidate claims to support queer people, what concrete evidence backs that up? (Star Observer; Victorian Parliament election information)

That means looking for specific policies and a record of action, not just reassuring language. The Victorian Electoral Commission provides official election information, while Parliament publishes material on its work, including the hate crimes inquiry. (Victorian Electoral Commission; Victorian Parliament)

A practical check is to compare a candidate's public commitments with reliable reporting and official records. If the position remains vague, that's useful information too; voters shouldn't have to guess what a promise means. (Victorian Electoral Commission; Star Observer)

Representation starts with making room

Puglielli's own route into politics wasn't planned. He says the experience of watching artists organise during the pandemic helped him see how decisions made by people in power could shape whether communities received meaningful, lasting support. (Star Observer; Victorian Greens)

His call for more queer and trans people in decision-making spaces follows from that experience. Community voices can bring lived knowledge into debates that might otherwise be discussed at a distance, particularly on issues affecting safety, services and equality. (Star Observer; Victorian Parliament)

Away from Parliament, he has a more domestic constituency to answer to: Hildegard, his adopted Great Dane, who apparently expects more pats and wonders why the plants take so long to water. Even MPs, it seems, face a stern reminder to pay attention at home. (Star Observer)

Check the commitments before you cast your vote

Victoria's election information is available through the Victorian Electoral Commission, and candidates' statements can be weighed against their published records and credible journalism. For LGBTQIA+ voters, that extra check can help distinguish a campaign slogan from a commitment that stands up to scrutiny. (Victorian Electoral Commission; Star Observer)

And for anyone weighing a candidate's claims, Puglielli's question is a useful place to start: where's the evidence? (Star Observer)

A little checking can make your vote more informed, and help keep community voices in the conversation.

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