Usually these things have the RHI or the Hordern.

If it is only 1 Hall then we can still have a reasonable sized party around them ?

Would be good to know please David Imrie ?

“I say well done NMG for having the balls to make changes. The parade and party are great, fun, exciting-¦all of that. But it is also a bit the same each year”

So tell us Scott what will make the Party better by holding it a week after the Parade ????????????????????????

Can you guarantee that people will be walking around in their Parade costumes for all to see ? still have that proud look on their faces that they did it ? still have the Vibe ? still have that adrenaline high ? or will it simply just be another party no different than Sleaze Ball ?

Tell us how it will be better ?

Oh and as for Pinkboard…….well years ago Panther said he had to censor the postings as some got quite vile. They did and its his call. I dont understand why now in these current times. Back then Forums where being sued but didnt those cases get thrown out ? and the Forums could not be held for peoples comments ?
Pinkboard has certainly not published some of my posts. Sure was having a go at someone but the post I was commenting on was pretty vile. Bias ? not sure on that score. Could be just a bad server as well so they may just lose posts but it does seem to happen often and seems I am not the only one.

So Scott and all…………. explain how the Part will be better ?

Does this mean The Star Observer has not received one positive letter over the last two weeks? I know of at least two letter writers who indeed sent positive feedback to The Star Observer and neither was published. Or is there perhaps a bias at The Star Observer as some would accuse Pinkboard and SX?

We are used to owner or editorial bias in our mainstream media -“ compare The Daily Terror to SMH, for example.

If so, in this case, that’s fine. It should just be declared so that readers are not under the impression that there is ONLY negative reaction in the community. Quite simply, there isn’t. You just have to read everything to get balanced information and views.

Editor’s Note: We have to date published every letter received in the office about the Mardi Gras decision. We have no interest stymieing debate on this issue. More letters have been received since the last deadline and will be published in the next issue.

SX also seems to be full of praise – the list of support from NMG notables read like a scripted advert.

Thanks Star Observer for allowing us to freely voice our opinions on this important issue!!!

*visitors who must now arrange much more leave from work to attend and pay for a far longer stay,
*the participants in the Arts festival which is halved to two weeks, half of which must now compete with the new events between parade and party and where the central weekend (until now the busiest time of the festival)is in conflict with the Parade weekend
*the thousands who love to party after the parade while they are still on a high from the festive atmosphere.These people buying tickets have kept Mardi Gras financially afloat over the decades. Yet it is a minority saying they are unable to attend the party that is leading to this dramatic change of course which leaves most without the ability to get into an official Mardi Gras party on Parade night after years of loyal support.

That is a very large number of stakeholders indeed. The overwhelming majority of stakholders were not “market tested” at all,something that was only done with a select number of NMG members. That the new arrangements have slashed their participation has not been acknowledged by David Imrie and the NMG board. When making what are the largest changes to Mardi Gras since it became a summer night event the NMG board should not be meeting in private to decide what to do before a full public debate/consultation has happened.
I add my voice to the call by other stakeholders for NMG to call a Special General Meeting with 21 days notice to allow for adequate consultation and debate about the changes. Plainly what a great number of stakeholders need for them to continue to participate as they have done for years has not been taken into proper consideration and their voices should be heard.

If not one wonders what credibility can be given to rants and raves regarding personal hardship through the changes that are, after all, effective in more than 8 months from now?

How much more notice do you really, honestly, need?

This issue really has become rather boring. The decision has been made. The majority of main stakeholders have given a reserved ‘thumbs up’ to the concept. Let’s embrace it and move on…

The Parade and Party have been held on the same night since 1982, and have provided a twin climax, the grand finale of the Mardi Gras Festival since 1985. This combination defines Mardi Gras for many people. Moreover, our community’s ability to successfully stage the two events on the one night, at the end of a diverse Festival, which also includes Fair Day, the largest daytime gay and lesbian event in Australia, for over 20 years is a matter of pride for many lesbians and gay men.

This doesn’t mean it has to stay this way forever. All events evolve, and there are often sound reasons for making changes. Any change to the fundamental nature should however recognise the GLBT community’s ownership and investment in Mardi Gras. This means it should only be made after widespread and informed community debate. It should not be made in secret, behind closed doors, without prior public discussion, by a Board elected, if my memory serves me right, unopposed at a poorly attended AGM.

The decision has however been made, and as arrangements for next year’s Parade and Party (venue bookings, liaison with government agencies etc) are already underway, if not set in stone, it may be difficult to reverse it. Moreover, overturning board decisions once they have been made may not be good corporate governance.

What is needed is a mechanism that ensures there is consultation and debate before such decisions are made in future. One way to achieve this would be to amend the NMG constitution to require the NMG Board to consult the NMG membership before any change to the fundamental nature or any of the fundamental elements of Mardi Gras is made.

The constitutional amendment would spell out what these fundamental elements are.

This could be achieved by inserting a new Division IV in the NMG Constitution entitled “Consultation with Members” which could read:

6.18 The Board must convene a General Meeting before adopting a resolution to:

(a) alter the primary focus of any of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade, Mardi Gras Party, Mardi Gras Festival or Mardi Gras Fair Day as gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual events;
(b) change the nature of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade as a street event;
(c) not hold the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade;
(d) hold the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade at a location other than Oxford and Flinders Street, Darlinghurst;
(c) not hold the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade at night;
(d) hold the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade at any time other than on the last Saturday in February or the first Saturday in March;
(e) other than in 2010, hold the Mardi Gras Parade and Mardi Gras Party on separate nights;
(f) not hold a Mardi Gras Festival prior to the Mardi Gras Parade; or
(g) not hold a Mardi Gras Fair Day within in the four weeks prior to the Mardi Gras Parade.

6.19 The notice for such general meeting shall include a statement setting out the proposed resolution or resolutions and the reasons for the proposed resolution or resolutions.

6.20 The principal business of the general meeting shall be consideration of a motion in the form:

“This general meeting endorses the resolution or resolutions set out in the notice of this meeting, as required by Paragraph 6.19 of the Constitution of New Mardi Gras Limited.”

This amendment would ensure that community discussion and consultation will occur before any change to the fundamental element of Mardi Gras is made – 6.18 (a)-(g) effectively lists these fundamental elements of Mardi Gras.

This is because 21 days notice must be given of any general meeting in writing to the members, and by advertisement in the Star Observer or other such similar publication that circulates within the gay, lesbian, transgender,
bisexual and queer communities.

Immediately this happens, the proposed change is made public, and can be reported, discussed and debated in bars, on websites, in the GLBT media etc.

When the general meeting is held, the members can show their support for the change by voting for the motion to endorse it, or show their opposition by voting against it.

The board could still go ahead with the change, even if the resolution to endorse it was lost. Its loss would not prevent the board from going ahead with the change if it believed it was justified. What is important is that the community debate will have taken place before the decision was made, and not afterwards.

Nor should the board fear this process. The most significant change to Mardi Gras – moving it from the end of June to the end of Summer – was made using a similar process.

The Mardi Gras Task Group (as it was then) convened three community meetings to discuss this and other changes to Mardi Gras – rather than believing it had the power to make the decisions itself. And while those meetings were robust, their outcome ensured that Mardi Gras never looked back.

Editor’s Note: Sam, New Mardi Gras president David Imrie has asked you contact him direct about this matter. You can email him at david.imrie@mardigras.org.au

I agree with you!!! Ditch the dicks, bin the boobs….

Lets go head to head with Rio and the ‘carnivale’ exhibitions of the world….

Time to illiminate the ‘freak show’ look at me Parade..

Lets have some Pride in Mardi Gras and celebrate the successes of being Gay in the world today!!!

As for the party… if Pill poppers and alike need a place to go then… resurrect a parade after party…. after good consultation from not only Members of Mardi Gras but the wider community at large….

It’s an international event, and consequently a wider / broader opinion than the concentration of members (without wishing to offend) would give a refreshing insight into what we really really want…

http://cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/Development/DAsOnExhibition/DASearch/AssocDocs.aspx?uri=1638535

NEXT ….I WANT REAL NEWS, NOT TRASH ABOUT “NEW MARDI GRAS”

This is a great opportunity to encourage the more apathetic queens to focus on the political relevance and history of MG, and to celebrate how lucky we are to be living in country where homosexuality is not illegal.

Let’s go even further, ditch the drag queen/ tits and arse/ exhibitionist 70’s approach which we’ve all seen too many bloody times, and get a new float selection committee who can give us a parade with passion, humour, politics and 21st century relevance to gay and lesbian identity.