In a Reddit AMA held in his first week as a sitting Greens senator, Robert Simms has identified marriage equality as a top priority for his time in parliament.
Asked what he hopes to accomplish most in parliament, Simms said he would like to see marriage equality legislated.
"It is definitely time for this reform," he said.
Simms replaces former Greens senator Penny Wright as a senator for South Australia, becoming the fourth openly LGB politician currently in parliament.
He has been handed the visible portfolios of higher education, LGBTI issues and water.
Speaking to BuzzFeed News, Simms said circumstances around marriage equality have "changed considerably" over the past month with Australia's change of prime minister.
View this video on YouTube
While marriage equality was thought to be at a roadblock under previous prime minister Tony Abbott, new PM Malcolm Turnbull supports the reform.
Turnbull has promised to stick to the government's previous plan of a popular vote, but advocates are more optimistic about change now that both major party leaders are in favour.
Earlier this week, Australian Marriage Equality said there were only eight more votes needed to win a parliamentary majority.
The Greens temporarily threw their support behind a plebiscite on marriage after it was announced by the government in August – however, the party has maintained it was in response to a political reality.
It's preferred course of action is a vote in the parliament, said Simms. "There was a discussion about how the parliament could take ownership of the plebiscite."
"Since then, we now have a prime minister who actually supports marriage equality which is obviously a great thing, but we need to see Mr Turnbull match the rhetoric with action."
With the change of leader, Simms said, there's "potential for [marriage equality] to happen".
The swing back to a parliamentary focus is in line with Australian Marriage Equality, who plan to focus on winning a parliamentary majority in the lead up to the next election.
"Our pre-election goal is to achieve a clear-cut majority in parliament, so regardless of whichever party wins government we will have the numbers to pass reform," said national director Rodney Croome earlier this week.
Simms listed homophobia and transphobia in schools, older LGBTI people, and outdated anti-discrimination laws as areas of concern in the portfolio.
I know [homophobia in schools] is a huge issue in this country and something we really need to look at it," he said.
"Also the experience of LGBTI people in aged care, I know is something that's really critical."
In Simms' home state of South Australia, some laws pertaining to the LGBTI community lag behind much of the country.
"An issue that's really critical in South Australia is the law of provocation – we're one of the few states in the country that still has the gay panic defence," Simms said.
Under the gay panic defence, a person can argue in court that they were provoked into assault by someone of the same sex hitting on them.
"I just think that's an example of the law really legitimising homophobia," Simms said.
"It's such an archaic thing, it's deeply homophobic, it needs to be removed."
In his maiden speech, Simms spoke candidly about struggling with his sexuality as a young man and never expecting the opportunity to talk about it in parliament.
"I didn't have any conception of what a gay life might look like. I think for a lot of young people it's a case of you can't be what you can't see," he told BuzzFeed News.
"Someone who is in a position of public profile, I do think it's important to use that to be able to talk about those issues and draw attention to them."
A self-professed "Facebook addict", Simms said he is new to Reddit, but did the AMA to hear from as many people as possible.
Simms dodged questions on the internal politics of the Greens when asked if he supported grassroots members having a say in the party leader and portfolio distributions.
"I know there are lots of different views within the party on this one, and it has been good to have the debate. But recently, this was discussed at National Council and the party agreed that the status quo would remain," he responded.
The decision to hand the higher education portfolio to Simms from long-time senator Lee Rhiannon angered many in the NSW branch of the Greens.
Simms also blasted Australia's current asylum seeker policy.
"It's immoral in my view and surely we are better than this as a country. I think in years to come people will look back at this and think this is a very ugly period in our nation's history."