I understand there are people in this community who are still upset by my actions from 2017.

I take full responsibility for the views I held and the subsequent damage of my actions.

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I wholeheartedly apologise to the LGBTQIA community for what I did. I was wrong.

I am sorry I was ignorant; I am sorry for the hurt I caused you. I am asking for the extending hand of forgiveness.

I believe that three years was ample time for introspection and the changing of views, just as former Prime Ministers, Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd did, both after a three-year period when they had previously voted against marriage equality.

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I changed my views based on several reasons.

First, I dealt with some of my own distortions of homosexuality.

I grew up in a same-sex household that was not always a pleasant environment which affected the way I perceived other people.

Second, after witnessing and seeing true love in the LGBTQIA community, I began to understand that I was wrong to try and stop someone from loving someone else.

Third, I grasped that if heterosexual couples had the option of deciding whether to marry or not, so should same-sex couples have the choice as to whether to seek to achieve a status and a set of entitlements and responsibilities on a par with those enjoyed by heterosexual couples.

It has been a personal journey for me, and I am thankful to my family and friends for helping me see the error of my ways.

I wish to emphasise that life is about making mistakes, growing, and learning from them.

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I am more than happy to discuss this matter with anyone who wishes to talk and reassure them of where I stand.

A leopard might not be able to change its spots, but the human species is known for its ability to adapt and change for the better.

This is a great idea, and will enhance Rosalind Park greatly.

It will also be an asset to the city.

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