Biden praises Vic, NSW gay apologies

US Vice President Joe Biden says recent historic apologies from the Victorian and NSW parliaments to the gay community are a powerful gesture.

The US vice president has praised the NSW and Victorian parliaments for apologising to the gay community over past mistreatment.

"It's a powerful gesture that sets the stage to move forward," Joe Biden said in a speech at a Lowy Institute-US Studies Centre function in Sydney.

He was proud of the work his administration had done to advance gay rights and celebrate the lives and loves of all Americans.