New senator Robert Simms talks of struggle to come out

By Judith Ireland
Updated October 14 2015 - 12:08am, first published October 13 2015 - 8:15pm
Greens senator Robert Simms delivers his first speech to the Senate on Tuesday. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
Greens senator Robert Simms delivers his first speech to the Senate on Tuesday. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
Member for Canning Andrew Hastie delivers his maiden speech in the House of Representatives. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
Member for Canning Andrew Hastie delivers his maiden speech in the House of Representatives. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
Mr Hastie is congratulated by former prime minister Tony Abbott. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
Mr Hastie is congratulated by former prime minister Tony Abbott. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen

When Robert Simms was growing up in Adelaide, there was one thing the self-confessed "nerd" who loved debating and student politics would never have considered talking about in a speech, let alone his first speech in the Senate.

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