New Mardi Gras exempt from fees

Mardi Gras will not have to fight against paying RTA, ambulance and police charges for the annual parade again, Bligh MP Clover Moore announced this week.

The parade has been recognised as a Hallmark Event, which excludes it from user-pays fees.

This is a win for Mardi Gras; we have been pushing for this recognition over several years, Moore said. It was simply wrong to charge fees for important community events when the government says it want to encourage stronger community events.

Meantime, Mardi Gras will soon say farewell to its Erskineville home of almost a decade, heading to an as yet undecided location.

The organisation has to be out of its headquarters by the end of the month, and is still looking for a permanent home.

We don’t know [where we’re going, definitely]-“ it’s happening by the day, New Mardi Gras co-chair Michael Woodhouse told the Star.

A temporary move to the Surry Hills Pride Centre would be an option if no appropriate office and warehouse space was found in time, Woodhouse said.

The New Mardi Gras constitution -“ the document setting the rules for the future of the organisation -“ has passed through its final community consultation.

The constitution deals with, among other things, who will be members (anyone prepared to sign a statement affirming their commitment to Mardi Gras and the GLBTQ community), how the board will be elected and how the elected board can refuse membership if necessary.

New Mardi Gras is hoping to have the constitution signed off and memberships open for purchase by April, for a May board election.