Alex Greenwich's equality bill has dropped protections for LGBTQIA+ teachers and students in NSW. So what's left of it?

NSW independent MP Alex Greenwich has defended his move to scale back legislation designed to provide stronger protections for LGBTQIA+ communities.

Transcript

00:00When trans teenager Bodie Buller was dying from a degenerative condition, his last wish

00:07was to have his gender recognised on his birth certificate.

00:11And he was absolutely petrified when he was dying that his death certificate would also

00:15list him as female.

00:17But New South Wales is the only state which won't let people change their gender on identity

00:21documents unless they've had reassignment surgery.

00:24Independent MP Alex Greenwich and his backers want to change that as part of a broad ranging

00:29bill that aims to better protect the LGBTQI community.

00:33This week is an opportunity to be on the right side of history, to finally remove the archaic,

00:39cruel and discriminatory laws that impact on members of our communities every day.

00:44But Mr Greenwich has dropped several key sticking points opposed by religious groups, including

00:49banning private schools from discriminating against gay or transgender teachers and students.

00:55Our members are also an important group who need human rights, so we are bitterly disappointed.

01:01The MP says he's being pragmatic because the government won't support changes to the Anti-Discrimination

01:06Act while it's under review.

01:08It breaks my heart that I've had to take out these reforms, which I have worked on my entire

01:14political career.

01:16But in the interest of achieving what we can today, I have scaled back my bill.

01:21The Premier has given the watered down bill his seal of approval.

01:25Alex Greenwich's amended equality bill I think should pass the parliament.

01:29But his Liberal counterpart is not yet convinced.

01:32The rush is very disappointing.

01:33I got a very heavily marked up bill on Saturday night.

01:36We're digesting that at the moment and we'll be considering that in the party room.

01:40Alex Greenwich hopes his bill passes the lower house of state parliament this week.

01:44But it's facing a rockier passage through the upper house where there are several outspoken

01:48conservative crossbenchers, including former One Nation MP Mark Latham, who's previously

01:53tried to introduce a bill banning discussion of gender diversity in classrooms.

01:58Heated debate ahead.