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Sydney Worldpride

Published on: May 2023

Record: HANSARD-1323879322-131510

Sydney Worldpride

Mr ALEX GREENWICH (Sydney) (17:01):

I move:

That this House:

(1)Commends Sydney WorldPride, CEO Kate Wickett, Chair Damien Hodgkinson, staff, volunteers, board, partners, sponsors, and Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras for delivering a landmark event that welcomed the world back to Sydney.

(2)Acknowledges the positive impact of Sydney WorldPride on improving LGBTQIA+ rights in New South Wales, Australia, and the Asia-Pacific region, particularly through the Human Rights Conference and work of Equality Australia.

(3)Congratulates Sydney WorldPride on delivering a program of events that were inclusive and diverse, and that promoted and celebrated First Nations voices.

(4)In the spirit of Sydney WorldPride's theme of "Gather, Dream, Amplify", calls on the New South Wales Parliament to continue to legislate reforms that deliver fairness and equality for LGBTQIA+ people.

WorldPride was a gift to Sydney and to our LGBTQI+ community, one whose legacy will continue to strengthen our values of fairness and equality. Today our Parliament says thank you. At the outset, I flag that we are graced by the presence of some key people who delivered the festival—the incomparable CEO, Kate Wickett; Alex Daoust; Regina San Juan; Sophie Curtis; Natasha Smale; Matt Akersten; Ebony Williams; Charmaine Belfanti; Jesse Matheson; Adrian Phoon; Sue Pinckham; Shane Sturgiss; Jaine Moralee; Kate Foy; Giovanni Campolo‑Arcidiaco; Steph Sands; 78er Robyn Kennedy; and Anna Brown, who through Equality Australia and the Human Rights Conference played a key role in strengthening LGBTQI+ rights. I believe Albert Kruger will also be joining us. I pay tribute to his leadership of Mardi Gras through the challenging times of the pandemic. We know that he is now moving on to hopefully less stressful opportunities. There are so many more people to thank in that amazing team, including the chair, Damien Hodkinson, and festival directors Daniel Clark and Ben Graetz.

The team at WorldPride did not like the event being called the Gay or LGBTQI+ Olympics. Indeed, a major sporting festival was only part of the programming. But the impact of Sydney WorldPride was comparable to the Olympics, as it put our city back on the map and on top of the list, with a big rainbow highlight across it. There were so many diverse and inclusive events. I was honoured to attend many of them and felt a pride that I had never felt before in Sydney. Hearing the Ukrainian Ambassador to Australia talk about LGBTQI+ soldiers fighting the war against the Russian invasion at the pride flag raising at the Sydney Town Hall set the scene for the international focus of the festival. Blak and Deadly, the First Nations gala concert at the Sydney Opera House, saw the inspiring and emotional performance of queer First Nations artists at Tubaowgule, the land where the Opera House now stands.

My favourite party of the entire festival was Ultra Violet, the awesome lesbian party. I had been around too many gay men during the festival, so an event for LGBTQI+ women who took over the Sydney Town Hall was absolutely amazing. Crossing the Sydney Harbour Bridge for LGBTQI+ equality with my husband, the Lord Mayor and so many others in the Parliament was a powerful moment that motivates me daily in this place to remove all discrimination that targets our community. The Pride Villages brought everyone to Oxford Street to support and celebrate local businesses, and the parade and afterparty were the best they have ever been.

It was not just the big events that were impactful. Smaller ones like the Sydney Boys High School WorldPride assembly, where I spoke about coming out, or the WorldPride barbecue hosted by inner-city social housing residents showed that the spirit of the festival flowed right through the city, and formal and informal events. To quote Kate Wickett, "It was a party with purpose—real purpose." Thanks to the leadership of Equality Australia, the Human Rights Conference at the International Convention Centre delivered real outcomes for New South Wales, Australia and our region. They included Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong committing $3.5 million for the first dedicated Australian fund to support LGBTQI+ civil society organisations and human rights defenders in the Asia-Pacific, and a new LGBTQI+ national health action plan, along with $26 million in funding dedicated to health and research. We also saw important commitments from both major parties in New South Wales to end harmful conversion practices. The good news is that I have my bill ready. I have been to a lot of LGBTQI+ conferences, but I have never seen so much achieved.

Of course, there is more work to do. Just as WorldPride provided a powerful platform and promoted and celebrated First Nations voices, our community must do the same to support the referendum on a First Nations Voice to Parliament. We know how hard and how important a public vote can be. There can be none more important than one that finally recognises First Nations people in our Constitution. We know that the LGBTQI+ community is experiencing an increase in hate crimes. I know that firsthand. Today a man is facing court for death threats made to me during WorldPride. Every day, trans and gender diverse people are bullied in schools, parks and the media. We need to make sure that right across Australia we have hate crimes legislation that protects our community. We need to make sure that organisations that support our community continue to get recurrent funding, and I welcome the commitments from the New South Wales Government and the Treasurer to work on that. With the energy and inspiration of WorldPride, I am more confident than ever before that Sydney, New South Wales and Australia will be better and safer for LGBTQI+ people. I commend the motion to the House.

Dr MARJORIE O'NEILL (Coogee) (17:08:30):

I start by thanking the member for Sydney for bringing the motion to the House. I also thank him for all the work he has done not only in helping to get WorldPride to Sydney but also in the advancement and advocacy of LGBTQI+ rights, even in the face of horrific things from people who operate within this building. I thank him for that.

I do not know how Kate organised WorldPride. Every time I bumped into her, she looked fresh and happy, walking out of another party with a purpose. I thank her for bringing WorldPride to our city. I also thank Sophie. Sophie was fundamental to the Pride Amplified events across Sydney. She worked really closely with my electorate's chambers of commerce to make sure that all of Sydney, including the suburbs outside of the CBD, was painted with a rainbow and that we could show pride for our LGBTI communities. As a result, pubs and clubs that had never engaged with the LGBTI community did LGBTI training because they wanted to learn how better to interact with people and to learn about pronouns. They were actively doing that. I have to say that it made Coogee a much more fun place.

I reiterate what the member for Sydney said. WorldPride has given me a huge amount of pride in my own area and in Sydney. We have a lot to really be proud of. Personally, Fair Day is my favourite part. It has been and will always be my favourite part. There are some nods in the gallery. It kicks it off. I also have to say that walking across the bridge was remarkable. The human rights conference and the opportunity to meet with those speakers at Government House was probably one of the most transformative experiences throughout that period for me. I was able to hear from people who are making fundamental changes across the globe, not just in Sydney, and learn about the role that we can all play in advancing LGBTI rights around the world.

I also acknowledge what the member for Sydney said about fairness and continued support. I take the opportunity to say that NSW Labor is excited about Mardi Gras next year. We are committed to making sure that there is no shortfall in funding for Mardi Gras next year and that it is all properly funded. I also acknowledge our support for Qtopia. We have committed $3.85 million to supporting it. It is important because it is both a symbolic and a literal crossroads for us moving forward. Acknowledging that space and acknowledging that part of our history and culture is really important.

Banning gay conversion therapy is one of those fundamental pieces of law that need to happen. It will put our State in line with other States. It is really disappointing. A State the size of New South Wales should be leading on that kind of legislation and the fact that we lag is a huge disappointment. I thank the member for Sydney for pushing for that legislation. I look forward to working with him and passing it through Parliament. The Opposition supports that legislation, so I look forward to it being moved and considered in Parliament slowly and with very respectful debate.

Ms FELICITY WILSON (North Shore) (17:13:41):

I support the public interest debate motion moved by the member for Sydney. I thank him for doing so. As members all know, WorldPride is a major event for the LGBTQI community around the entire world. We were so fortunate to have welcomed the world to celebrate all things Pride in our beautiful harbour city of Sydney. During WorldPride we, of course, had our annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade and Fair Day. For the first year since COVID, the parade was returned home to Oxford Street. I am not sure about other members but, like the member for Coogee, I found that the city felt electric during WorldPride, particularly Fair Day. It was buzzing. It was very hot. That was the downside for me. But it was filled with people and stalls. It was a scorching summer's day but the atmosphere was profound and powerful. An incredibly diverse group of people attended on the day as well.

Once again this year I joined NSW Liberal Pride for the Mardi Gras parade along Oxford Street with hundreds of floats and thousands of marchers, as well as a staggering crowd lining the parade route. We are getting a more positive reception each year, so we are going to keep trying. We need to earn that more positive reception, so we will keep working on it and trying, because we respect and value that community. Many of our members are also part of that community and we respect and value them. What is so special about this event is the outpouring of fun and love that accompanies it. Everyone is there not only to have a good time but also to celebrate Pride. Where there has been a history of struggle, there is now a sense of embracing what we have all achieved and can enjoy together. Whether you are an ally like me or part of the community, there is something to bring everybody a great sense of pride. I also thank our NSW Liberal Pride committee for organising and supporting our LGBTQI MPs and party members with a range of different events—a bit of a sideshow alongside WorldPride.

One of the most amazing moments for me during WorldPride was the world coming together on the Sydney Harbour Bridge. I saw a number of those in the gallery there. I was proud to march alongside a number of fellow MPs, obviously the member for Sydney and his husband, as well as the member for Hornsby, Lord Mayor Clover Moore and Councillor Emelda Davis. It was such an unforgettable experience walking the Warringah Freeway onto the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the dead dark of early morning—I think it was the earliest start the member for Sydney has had for some time—and feeling the atmosphere and the diversity of people who were represented in the march. There were a number of families, different generations, different multicultural individuals and people from across the globe. There was such a power and spirit of celebration and joy. It was profound to be part of that. If you could bottle the feeling, it would sustain you every day with joy. I really appreciated being part of it and that so many people were a part of it. That is what WorldPride did for all of us and the community, so I thank the organisers.

I put on record some of the commitments and achievements that the Liberal Party has delivered in previous years, just to restate our commitment to the LGBTQI community. Obviously, in 2014 we amended the law to allow for historic gay and lesbian offences to be extinguished from the records. We abolished the gay panic defence and delivered the first official government apology to the 78ers. It was great to see so many of them in the march. In 2017 we, as a nation, achieved a momentous change in legalising same-sex marriage. I was immensely proud to be part of the "Yes" campaign—a very tiny part compared to other members in the Chamber and, of course, the member for Sydney. In 2019 we approved HIV self‑testing kits for use and listed PrEP on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

The Liberal Party also has a number of firsts in LGBTQI representation, not just in this Parliament but also the Federal Parliament. The member for Coogee's predecessor Bruce Notley-Smith became the first openly gay member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. In 2015 Liberal Trent Zimmerman became the first openly gay member of the Federal House of Representatives. Liberal Don Harwin was appointed as the first openly gay Cabinet Minister in New South Wales history. In 2019 Liberal Angie Bell became the first openly lesbian member of the Federal House of Representatives. I also acknowledge two of my colleagues in the other place who are part of the community, the Hon. Chris Rath and the Hon. Jacqui Munro.

Last year we established a world-first Special Commission of Inquiry into LGBTQI hate crimes and we committed to opening the first LGBTQI health centre with ACON. I commit our ongoing support to a ban on gay conversion therapy. It is the right thing to do. I am looking forward to supporting the bill of the member for Sydney. We also announced as a party that Qtopia would have a permanent home in the former Darlinghurst Police Station. I thank the member for Sydney and all of those involved in WorldPride. There is a lot more work to be done and I commit to standing shoulder to shoulder with the community as we aim to do that work.

Ms LIESL TESCH (Gosford) (17:18:43):

It is with great pride that I support the enthusiastic commendation in the motion from the member for Sydney for the outstanding work of Kate Wickett. I congratulate and thank Kate and her extraordinary team. What a mighty team effort to pull off such an incredible event. The city was just so alive—as someone who grew up running wild on Oxford Street in my youth, it was wilder than we ever knew it. This was the first time WorldPride has been held in the Southern Hemisphere, and it continues to be the world's largest LGBTQIA+ celebration—17 days and over 300 events. What a mammoth effort and, as the member for Coogee said, Kate looked immaculate the whole time. Give us some of that power!

Kate's work in service of the event and the State of New South Wales did not stop when WorldPride came to a close. Yesterday Kate was in Manly speaking on a panel on tourism in this State organised by Local Government NSW, and how important it is to spread the message of absolute inclusion. We have a disability inclusion action plan, but we have a responsibility to go much further towards inclusion. Kate shared the success stories of interactions and activations between Sydney WorldPride and local government across the regions, including the events at the Central Coast community's beautiful Naughty Noodle. Tonight I might rush home from Parliament and rush into ThursGAY, which is an activation where one little pub in Gosford goes off for one night a month. It is the best function that Gosford has, and my challenge is to improve that.

What Kate and the organisers gave the people of New South Wales during Sydney WorldPride was outstanding. They delivered an LGBTQIA+ human rights conference, the WorldPride march, a First Nations hub in Redfern, a gala concert, a Bondi Beach party, sporting events, a regional event in Newcastle and the opening and closing ceremonies, and our fantastic Mardi Gras was integrated into that. How proud we are, and so many members have marched on various occasions. It was fantastic to see the Prime Minister marching, as he has since the eighties, making a very clear statement that the Federal Government is supportive and inclusive. I have a fabulous memory of one of my early marches. We were next to Rainbow Labor and I was marching with Daniel Kowalski's #OneTeam, with the Olympians and Paralympians together. I ran into the bathroom to get ready and there were Bill Shorten and Tanya Plibersek fixing their hair. It is like I was meant to be on this side of the Parliament.

WorldPride showcased Sydney to a forecast 500,000 attendees, with 78,000 expected to be unique visitors travelling from out of Sydney. That has to be the best goal kicked by Destination NSW during the previous Government, so congratulations on that amazing work. Whilst WorldPride was a once-in-a-generation activation, it was more than a one-off effort. It was so successful because it amplified what Sydney already is and represents, and to me that is inclusion. I get emotional because, while it may be about inclusion for the LGBTQIA+, it is also inclusion for all of us. It creates a space that says that it is okay to be different and okay to be me.

It was fabulous to hear the member for Sydney speaking about "yes" and about including our Indigenous brothers and sisters, and I think I will see Nana Miss Koori at the Naughty Noodle NAIDOC Nylon event on the Central Coast before too long. We send a lot of love for the work that Nana has done around the world showcasing our Indigenous brothers and sisters and the work that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have done in that space. Sydney is a safe city for all. At the moment Gosford has its Safer Cities: Her Way survey, but making that space and protecting members of the community is so important. My heart goes out that it is even a conversation, but members on both sides of this Parliament stand beside the member for Sydney in making it a fairer place that protects all people, no matter what our value systems are.

We love the member for Sydney. Rainbow Labor is an amazing, exciting thing. Qtopia is now here to stay, and the pride of my 78ers is a part of our history that will stay with us forever. I also acknowledge the important role the member for Sydney played in marriage equality in the State and around Australia, showing leadership despite political opposition and the ridiculous thing that that turned out to be. I congratulate the member for Sydney. I accidentally ran into him at one of the art exhibitions and then stepped out into the wild city summer night. We will always remember what a wonderful time it was, and I congratulate all involved.

Ms JENNY LEONG (Newtown) (17:23:54):

On behalf of The Greens, I contribute to this public interest debate and thank the member for Sydney for bringing it to this House. We were trying to remember when the first motion congratulating Sydney WorldPride on its success came to this Chamber. It was won and delivered to our shores, and it is wonderful to celebrate its success. I acknowledge the incredible team from Sydney WorldPride, who are in the gallery. It is so wonderful to have them here with us to celebrate.

I was thinking about how we even start talking about the mammoth, massive thing that occurred, and to me the moment when Danni joined Kylie on stage at the opening concert at The Domain captures the absolute heart and feeling of Sydney. The level of emotion was so huge because there was a feeling of absolute recognition, a sense of history—of what it meant and how far the LGBTIQ+ community had come—and a collective sigh of relief within the crowd. There was something wonderfully mainstream, hilariously eighties-historical, current, global and all connected. There was a feeling in that moment that captured what Sydney WorldPride brought to this city but also the mammoth significance of the challenge ahead to deliver on that promise for the next generation, whatever that looks like.

I acknowledge my Greens colleagues the member for Ballina, who is in the Chamber; and the member for Balmain, who had to leave the Chamber for a minute. It was wonderful to join in a Greens gang and walk the streets across the Harbour Bridge. The Greens love walking or marching on the street; we love it when a road closes for people to take to the streets. We were in our absolute element with the bridge closed and everybody marching across with their rainbow flags flying, so we were very pleased about that.

The member for Coogee mentioned the wonderful reception at Government House, which brought together speakers from the human rights conference and representatives and key leaders from across the community. I am keen to capture on the record the special moment when I was joined by one of the wonderful Greens 78ers, Ray Goodlass, who has been a representative for a long time and lives in Wagga. He and Peter de Waal were standing there talking to the Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, and international guests were also introducing themselves. That is the respect that elders from the LGBTIQ+ community should be given. Seeing them being given pride of place at that reception to listen to the speech, being celebrated and acknowledged and connecting regional Wagga to the world captured something really significant.

There are so many people we could thank. Other members have listed the names, so I will not do it, but I know that it was a hard slog. Doing that kind of thing is not easy, and I am sure everybody needs lots of time to regroup, to process and to navigate all of this. It was a massive success not just as an LGBTI event but also as a huge event for Sydney, for New South Wales and for Australia. I thank the member for Sydney for acknowledging the contribution that WorldPride made to the region and for respecting First Nations justice and First Nations voices in his motion.

Finally, I challenge all of us. The member for Sydney knows all too well that the ongoing discrimination against, hate for and vilification of the LGBTI community continues. I spoke at the flag raising about the impact that WorldPride will have on young people in our community. The member for Sydney, all of Sydney WorldPride and all of us have the power to fly the rainbow flag with pride so that young trans, gender-diverse, gender‑questioning and queer young people in our communities who may not be supported know that we are here for them and are fighting in the struggle for them. I give our commitment in this Chamber to never accept the kind of discrimination and hurt that we have seen. I congratulate all of the Sydney WorldPride team for a massive gig.

Ms KELLIE SLOANE (Vaucluse) (17:29:45):

This is my first Public Interest Debate. I wish they could all be rainbows and group hugs. It is such a joy to participate in this particular PID, as we call it. I add my voice and my reflections as the member for Vaucluse, although at the time of WorldPride, in March, I was a political candidate. I was a member of the community and one who was so excited by the energy and the vibrancy I saw, particularly across my community in the eastern suburbs. Today I offer some reflections from my community and also as a Liberal supporting LGBTIQA+ rights. It was an extraordinary event and brought so much excitement to my electorate and the neighbouring suburbs in the east. It brought so much joy, and not just to me. There were big smiles right across our community and a phenomenal feeling of inclusion. It was also of great benefit to our local businesses.

The New South Wales Liberal-Nationals Government was the first major partner of WorldPride, demonstrating our commitment to the event, to the festival, to the people and also to the community. The estimated injection of funding to the community was $112 million to the visitor economy. There were huge benefits and it was a huge event for Destination NSW. Locally I was absolutely thrilled to see the rainbow of events and visitors from all parts of the world converging on our vibrant city. From Waverley Council's wayfinding journey through Bondi's history, with bright rainbow-coloured stickers guiding people to the beach—so cute!—to the rainbow city mural installations at the Bondi Beach Sea Wall, to the rainbow‑coloured parklets along Bondi Road and Campbell Parade supporting local businesses and the community, the Vaucluse community celebrated WorldPride to the absolute fullest extent. I was so pleased to attend Fair Day along with my colleagues., I had a very impressive—if I do say so myself—pair of rainbow wings that made it incredibly difficult to navigate the packed Victoria Park on that very hot day. But what a joy it was, what a thrill, to be there and to stand there.

Ms Felicity Wilson:

You would have looked good.

Ms KELLIE SLOANE:Hansard

I did look good, and I would like that to be recorded in . I stood there with my Liberal colleagues and all the other political colleagues from various persuasions. We stood there together, politics aside, because we were there to gather, dream and amplify, which was such a fabulous slogan for the festival. The Mardi Gras parade returned to the streets of Darlinghurst for the first time since the COVID‑19 pandemic began, with the parade previously having taken place at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Over 12,000 people marched. I was meant to join them but I had a broken foot, which was very inconvenient. I had a moon boot. I looked into motor scooters and all sorts of things, but I ended up watching, along with the tens of thousands who saw it in person, the hundreds of thousands who saw it online and the millions globally. What an awe-inspiring event! I note that the Mardi Gras route along Oxford Street, Flinders Street and Anzac Parade was heritage‑listed by the former Liberal-Nationals Government, and I acknowledge the work of the member for Manly in that space.

The WorldPride event also touched on other matters. The WorldPride Human Rights Conference took place, which was so important. Other key events included the Pride march over the Sydney Harbour Bridge. I have to reflect on this: WorldPride is a time to celebrate things that are very important to me and that I reflected on last week in my inaugural speech: diversity, equality and love. It is a time to raise awareness of the struggles that have been, and continue to be, there for your community; to celebrate progress; and importantly, to send a message of hope to our community that we can, we have a right to, we have a role to deliver in this place: to deliver hope and to deliver an inclusive society that respects diversity and champions those who sometimes do not have a voice or feel they cannot have a voice. They need to have a voice. They should have a voice. We can be their voice and we can encourage that in future. Congratulations to you all. I look forward to hopefully, during my time in this place, standing shoulder to shoulder with your community.

The SPEAKER:

I thank the member for member for Vaucluse. I wish to make sure Hansard has recorded that you had wonderful rainbow angel wings.

Ms Felicity Wilson:

And she looked good.

The SPEAKER:

Fantastic—sartorially splendiferous! I call the member for Wakehurst to hear about what he was doing on the night.

Mr MICHAEL REGAN (Wakehurst) (17:34:36):

I speak in proud support of Wakehurst's LGBTQI+ community and express my sincere congratulations to all involved in Sydney WorldPride 2023. As Sydneysiders, we were incredibly lucky to have had this opportunity to showcase the love, the kindness and the celebration of our diversity on the world stage. Without doubt, Sydney WorldPride was one of the most successful major events this city has ever held. Much like my electorate of Wakehurst, Sydney is a diverse and multicultural place and it is essential that we celebrate and embrace the diversity by providing a safe and inclusive environment for everybody. As we all know, organising a WorldPride event is no easy task, and it requires intense planning, coordination, and effort. It was incredible to see Sydney come alive because of all who rose to the challenge and worked together to create an unforgettable experience for everyone who attended.

This event meant so much to so many. Behind the lights, the rainbows, the concerts and the parties, we know that much was achieved, and what was achieved was far deeper. With fearless, unbridled celebration of our rainbow communities and a focus on human rights, this was for every person who has been excluded. This was for everyone who has been hurt. This was for everyone we have lost to hatred. This was a powerful display of who we are as a society, and, importantly, who we are going to be moving forward. Kindness, compassion, inclusion, visibility—this was Sydney at its best. I take this time to acknowledge and sincerely thank the organisers of Sydney WorldPride. Specifically, I thank and congratulate Kate Wickett and her incredible team. I knew of her but only met her for the first time today, although I did know of what she has been up to. What she achieved is nothing short of remarkable. I also thank the member for Sydney for his tireless work advocating for our rainbow communities. As the member for Sydney knows all too well, hatred and discrimination against LGBTQI+ communities and individuals persists. Whilst there is much to celebrate, we cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that there is still much work to do.

In the months following Sydney WorldPride, it has been distressing to see high‑profile anti‑trans personalities on tour, and targeted violence against queer people spike in the CBD. I want to be very clear with the people of Wakehurst on the northern beaches: As your representative, I will continue to champion equality and inclusion, and I will represent voices which, historically, have been left behind. In my first speech in this very Chamber, I spoke about my own uncle. When I was young, my uncle almost lost his life following a horrific and targeted beating because he was gay. It is that firsthand experience of witnessing someone I loved being the victim of such a violent attack that propels me to firmly stand up against hatred and discrimination in our society. I look forward to working with the member for Sydney on his upcoming legislation to ban harmful conversion therapy practices. It is astounding that today, in 2023, New South Wales has not yet taken the steps to protect queer and gender‑diverse people from those practices.

I am so proud of the work of local groups and organisations that operate within Wakehurst and across the northern beaches area to provide LGBTQI+ support and advocacy. Groups like Fusion Pride, GLAM and Girls On Fire have taken up the challenge of supporting queer and gender‑diverse people, making sure that they are visible and included in our wider local community. The "insular peninsula" was very proud to play its part in WorldPride. As mayor of the Northern Beaches Council—the "insular peninsula"—I was proud and humbled to preside over a unanimous council vote to actively and visibly support local WorldPride activities. That included a very special grants program that allowed local groups the funds to put on events to celebrate WorldPride in their own backyard. We, as a parliament, are gifted with the opportunity to make life safer for LGBTQI+ people. It is our responsibility to ensure everyone feels valued and respected. By securing LGBTQI+ rights and protections, we can help to achieve this important goal. To all who organised, supported, and participated in Sydney WorldPride, I am proud to stand here and recognise your incredible achievements. As the member for Wakehurst, I look forward to working with local groups to pave the way to a kinder, safer and more inclusive community. Finally, to every LGBTQI+ person in Wakehurst and beyond, I see you. You are so valued, and I am proud to represent your interests in this Parliament. To the member for Sydney, I love your work.

Mr ALEX GREENWICH (Sydney) (17:39):

By reply: I thank all members who contributed to the debate. I thank the member for Coogee, who, like me, survived a few parties and an election campaign at the same time. I thank the member for North Shore—it was great to see her beaming face as we were all crossing the bridge. I thank the member for Gosford. It was a highlight of the festival for me to bump into her at the National Art School and have a good chat. I also thank the member for Newtown. I thank The Greens in general for always standing with our community and for their ongoing support. I thank the member for Vaucluse. She looked great at Fair Day. Pride always looks good on her—particularly pride for the LGBTQI+ community. I thank the member for Wakehurst for a really generous and personal contribution.

I also acknowledge and thank former Premier Gladys Berejiklian for leading the charge within government for Sydney to host WorldPride, along with Lord Mayor of Sydney Clover Moore. That support continued with Premier Perrottet. During the festival there was no-one at more events than the former arts Minister, Ben Franklin, who was a tireless supporter of Sydney WorldPride. It was significant to see Premier Minns march in the Mardi Gras Parade with the Prime Minister—the first time a Premier and a Prime Minister had marched together. I thank and acknowledge the Hon. Penny Sharpe, Leader of the Government in the upper House, who is present in the Speaker's gallery. She has been a tireless champion, advocate and fighter for the LGBTQI+ community. I acknowledge the work of Rainbow Labor in striving towards good reforms in this place.

As members know, moving motions in support of the LGBTQI+ community has not always been easy in this place. Today we can assure the people in the gallery—and those original 78ers who marched for equality but were met with violence—that they have more friends than ever before in the New South Wales Parliament. That is the message we are sending today. With the unanimous passing of this motion, we are sending a clear message that we thank Sydney WorldPride for the immense impact it has had on Sydney, on our society and on our laws. We know there is more work to do. I commend the motion to the House.

The SPEAKER:

The question is that the motion be agreed to.

Motion agreed to.

The SPEAKER:

I congratulate the member for Sydney. I hope that everyone enjoyed the public interest debate. That is how business will be conducted in this Chamber from now on.