The vote on the Equality Bill has been once again delayed and LGBTQI activists have said NSW MPs are not welcome at the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras scheduled to take place next month.
The Equality Bill was introduced by out Sydney gay MP Alex Greenwich Equality Legislation Amendment (LGBTIQA+) Bill in the NSW Parliament in August 2023. In November 2023, MPs voted to separate the proposed legislation from the Conversion Practices Prohibition Bill 2023.
Last week, the Bill was delayed to mid-March 2024.
Sleepwalking Into Mardi Gras
“Today we saw an Assembly either out to lunch or asleep in their chairs, too cowardly to even make time in parliament to discuss the Equality Bill,” Quay-Quay from the Queer Action Collective, said in a statement.
“They’re assuming they can happily sleepwalk into a Mardi Gras Season and count on us for photo ops but we the queer community are showing them from today on, Pride is for us and you have to earn any of our goodwill,” said Quay-Quay.
Pride In Protest accused NSW Labor of staying silent on the Bill and denying essential protections to the LGBTQI community.
