Mardi Gras Board candidates put under the microscope

Mardi Gras Board candidates put under the microscope

WITH Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras (SGLMG) board election voting officially underway, the Star Observer reached out to the candidates to get their responses to some pressing questions about SGLMG’s future.

Voting is open until 5pm Tuesday November 8, with the AGM to be held at ACON HQ on Saturday, November 12 at 10.30am. Voters can also visit pre-polling facilities at SGLMG’s HQ in Darlinghurst, by mail, or by assigning a proxy to vote for them at the AGM.

Brandon-Leith Bear

What makes you the strongest candidate?

I believe that I could be one great part of a great team. I have experience working on boards in community organisations and I have been an SGLMG volunteer for over a decade. I have a real respect for the fact that members and volunteers make this organisation.

This organisation is my heart and has given me my family and I want to work hard for it in return.

Brandon-Leith Bear
Brandon-Leith Bear

What is your vision for the future of Mardi Gras?

To be the global beacon of pride and love that we have become and to use the festival as a platform to amplify the voices of members of our communities who might not get that chance otherwise.

I believe we should be an active voice in issues that affect our communities. Beyond marriage equality we can have a voice in the treatment of refugees, the persecution of people based on their gender and the ritualistic torture and murder of our queer family around the world. There are very few opportunities bigger or more noticeable to make those statements than our parade and festival. Underpinning that all though is the fact that without good governance and financial stability those opportunities will cease to exist.

What do you think is the single biggest challenge facing Mardi Gras?

The biggest challenge we face is finding a balance between revenue and community. I feel like part of this can be solved with better storytelling about how those corporate and government contributions make things like the Parade Community Grants scheme and free queer thinking events possible.

I think we need to approach partnership conversations with an attitude of “what can you do to earn your place as a sponsor”, recognising that our brand is strong, global and owned by our communities.

As a Director of Mardi Gras what do you expect to achieve between now and the 2018 AGM?

I want the world to look at us in 2018 and just be blown away by what our communities can do.

There are some important things I want to achieve before 2018, including: making the membership experience more worthwhile and rewarding, increasing access to all our events for people with a disability, including intellectual disabilities, and making sure that ICARE is upheld and the organisation is a safe place.

What skills and experience equip you to perform the duties of a Company Director?

I have significant not for profit governance experience. I also have ten years’ experience with SGLMG as a volunteer working with the parade community. This gives me a direct experience with being on the ground. I have been part of a board that has increased revenue and hosted the largest parade and festival in many years. I am a program manager by profession in the community services sector where I have developed a keen sense of social justice.

What obligations, if any, do you believe Mardi Gras has to fulfil as a representative of the political interests of the LGBTI community?

SGLMG should remain a political organisation. Each year we give 10,000 people the opportunity to be political to a global audience. We should never use the organisation as a platform to further our own voice as individuals.

Activists, unionists and advocates will tell you that being political in 2016 is very different. We can be political in positive ways. We are an organisation that values love and pride above all and so we will continue to find ways to be political in a way that supports those values.

James Brechney

What makes you the strongest candidate?

I’ve had Board experience including being on this Board for the last 2 years. While I’ve been getting much attention about Mardi Gras becoming more vocal on LGTBQI issues, behind the scenes I do take the position as an honour and do contribute the financial side of things, but in introducing new sponsors but also scouring through our budgets. As someone who throws a float every year I think I do feedback our actual frontline services directly to Board. Not only am I also running with the strongest team of candidates – it’s the only team united to fill all 4 positions.

James Brechney
James Brechney

What is your vision for the future of Mardi Gras?

A vibrant organisation that not only inspires and delivers a phenomenal festival but feed backs resources to our community groups, nationwide.

What do you think is the single biggest challenge facing Mardi Gras?

Staying relevant.

As a Director of Mardi Gras what do you expect to achieve between now and the 2018 AGM?

When I ran in 2014, many objectives I set out have happened and I have contributed to those results. It is good to see live streaming of the Parade, a profit for this financial year & new management with some fabulous new appointments made in our staffing. I have been a long proponent of reversing the parade, to assist the reactivating Oxford Street. It’s so obvious to me that the T2 Building needs to become our head office and LGBT Museum. We need to better tell the story of the ’78ers’ in time for our 40th. I see all these as achievable within the next term as well as the points made in my candidate statement.

What skills and experience equip you to perform the duties of a Company Director?

I’m not afraid of having uncomfortable conversations. This is really important, SGLMG is a big beast of a thing and it’s easy to talk the talk in an election period, but you have to stick to your principles and make sure the organisation is performing at it’s best with as much transparency as possible. I’ve sat on Boards before, I have worked in the legal industry, I also run Events and am a community organiser. My skill set is very good fitting for the Board. I also am a bit of a Social Media guru and I look forward to Mardi Gras improving in this area, and we already are.

What obligations, if any, do you believe Mardi Gras has to fulfil as a representative of the political interests of the LGBTI community?

We could do a lot better. The word protest is in our Constitution. It’s not about destroying relationships with our Government partners or sponsors, it’s about shining a light on issues when they arise. We should be signing joint LGTBQI letters regarding Marriage Equality, and applaud that we have started to do that. Instead of a celebrity, how fabulous would it be if the Safe Schools Coalition were the Ambassador to the Mardi Gras Parade? Or dare I say it, make a point by inviting a supportive Liberal like Warren Entsch to our VIP Party instead of Malcolm Turnbull?

Cameron Darling

This candidate requested we publish their candidate statement in lieu of responding to our questions.

I am currently employed as an advocate for People Living with HIV at Positive Living NSW. I
have previously been employed with Bobby Goldsmith Foundation, in the Human Service
Sector for 15 years and the Education Sector for 6 years. Professionally my interests are in the areas of peer support and systemic advocacy as well as community capacity building.

I hold the position of Chairperson with St George Youth Service and have so for the past 5
years. I have also recently served on the Executive Committee of Harbour City Bears as both
Treasurer and Vice President.

I have been a member and volunteer with SGLMG for 5 years. I am currently on the
Membership Committee and have previously served on the TIQ Working Group. I am still an
active volunteer with ACON, BGF and White Ribbon Foundation.

If successful as your elected Board representative, I will ensure that your voices are heard and that the organisation is managed such as to improve its current financial position. I am
committed to increasing the membership base and also increasing the diversity of community involvement within the organization. Of utmost importance to me is that all the SGLMG community is held accountable to the ICARE values.

Ollie Henderson

What makes you the strongest candidate?

I’ve spent years working in the social change sector, from grassroots activism to partnering and working with big NGOs. My dedication to equality and experience will hopefully bring back a bit of the humanity and community that has been lost in Mardi Gras in recent years. But beyond this, I am also a small business owner (actually I have two).

Being a small business owner you learn how to do everything, from taxes and finance, to advertising, partnerships and community building, you name it. Additionally I also have board experience, sitting on the board of directors for Vibewire, and on advisory boards for ACON. I think my experience both on the ground and in governance and strategic positions will make me a strong candidate.

Ollie Henderson
Ollie Henderson

What is your vision for the future of Mardi Gras?

I want to see a Mardi Gras that truly lives up to their objectives as laid out in the constitution. “The objectives of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras shall be to organise and co-ordinate events of celebration, commemoration and protest and engage in other activities as part of the gay, lesbian, transgender, bisexual, queer and intersex community.”.

The two key aspects of this that I don’t believe are being met are protest and full inclusion of our community. When we speak of protest, this does not always have to be aggressive, but we should consider the political position of our community and what we can do to advance that. As for inclusivity, I am a young queer person and many people in my community don’t feel represented by Mardi Gras. I see this as a huge problem, we should not let any part of our communities feel left out.

What do you think is the single biggest challenge facing Mardi Gras?

Financial stability was, for a long time, the major concern of Mardi Gras, but thankfully that has been stabilised in recent years. I think this provides a great opportunity to move forward and work on community building and social outcomes for our communities.

As a Director of Mardi Gras what do you expect to achieve between now and the 2018 AGM?

I would like to institute a community outreach officer, to ensure that we are in constant communication with our communities and other organisation within our communities. I would like to see the decentralisation of Mardi Gras including more events in Western Sydney and in the Inner-west. I would also introduce a community grants program to ensure Mardi Gras is giving back and contributing to our communities.

What skills and experience equip you to perform the duties of a Company Director?

As I mentioned earlier, my experience as a business owner and as a board director of other organisations gives me the professional experience needed to undertake the practical tasks of a board director. But also my experience in the social change sector will help the organisation to grow and support our community.

What obligations, if any, do you believe Mardi Gras has to fulfil as a representative of the political interests of the LGBTI community?

Mardi Gras is constitutionally bound to the political interests of the LGBTIQ+ community. I know many people would like to see Mardi Gras run like a business, but it’s not a business, by definition, it is a community organisation. This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t use business strategies to achieve our goals, as the owner of a social business I know how useful they can be, but it is the goals that separate us from business.

Our goals, as outlined in MG’s constitution are to serve the community – business objectives are always financial. With this in mind, our key performance indicators should not only be financial but mean sure to what degree we serve the community that we represent. This includes ensuring the political freedoms of our community.

Murray Hood

Murray Hood is standing in coalition with Jesse Matheson and Peta Miller.

What makes you the strongest candidate?

Since starting at the age of 17, I’ve had the experience of being a parade volunteer, managing areas, participating on working groups and have DJed at the MG Party several times, including in the RHI twice – as well as Sleaze and Harbour. I’ve known and loved Mardi Gras for as long as I’ve been in Sydney.

As an experienced event promoter (Babylon, Fierce Angel, among others) I understand the Sydney event promotion scene, and what is required to make money for the organisation. Coupled with my experience as a logistics and operations management professional, that gives me a unique outlook on how our organisation can operate efficiently and generate the revenue required to produce an amazing festival.

What is your vision for the future of Mardi Gras?

That SGLMG continue to prosper, financially, in order to be able to provide the vehicle for societal change, advocacy and community engagement. For our organisation to be accessible to more people, more regions, and in particular younger people who may otherwise be struggling with the concept of coming out. And to foster creativity, respect and integrity.

What do you think is the single biggest challenge facing Mardi Gras?

The very nature of our primary fundraisers can be risky. A constant challenge for Mardi Gras events is to remain relevant and commercially viable, in order to generate the revenue required to produce the other festival events which bring out so many amazing participants, patrons, families and tourists to celebrate diversity and freedom.

As a Director of Mardi Gras what do you expect to achieve between now and the 2018 AGM?

I expect to be part of a cohesive board who can guide our organisation through a financially secure festival while delivering on key festival events. And I expect to be able to do that while adhering strictly to our organisations I-CARE principles – Integrity, Creativity, Accountability, Responsibility and Equity.

What skills and experience equip you to perform the duties of a Company Director?

Creatively and logistically, I understand what Mardi Gras is about. From designing and building floats, to managing the parade control room, to DJing in the RHI, to leading a parade roving team, to being on the marketing working group. I also bring my professional experience as an event producer, and a logistics professional with business management, budgeting and analysis skills.

What obligations, if any, do you believe Mardi Gras has to fulfil as a representative of the political interests of the LGBTI community?

Mardi Gras has a responsibility to produce and promote events of celebration, commemoration and protest and engage in other activities as part of the LGBTQI community. They aren’t just my words – that’s paraphrasing the constitution. We can do this by producing events that showcase our unique creativity, and that promote equality and acceptance. And we can do this by providing the financially secure vehicle for its participants and patrons to protest and help achieve positive societal change.

Why do you feel it’s important that you, Jesse Matheson and Peta Miller all campaign together?

We believe Directors should work together to promote a cohesive leadership and we decided to do this from the outset.

The three of us came together because of our shared determination to create a unified Board, our extensive experience in both the LGBTIQ community and the organisation, and because we all believe Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras is a platform for all of our community to be a part of.

We are stronger together and that is the philosophy that we will take to the Board room.

David Imrie

What makes you the strongest candidate?

I have extensive experience as a Company Director and in senior management. I’ve been a director, chair and company secretary of Mardi Gras. Every season that I’ve been involved in has made a profit which has enabled the company to reinvest in itself and the community. I’m calm, relaxed, and not desperate to be elected, I simply would like to contribute to the future of Mardi Gras.

David Imrie
David Imrie

What is your vision for the future of Mardi Gras?

First and foremost, financial security and organisational stability. This will enable us to build a world class LGBTI arts and cultural festival with a greater diversity of events, and right across Sydney. Think of this as being like an LGBTI version of Sydney Festival.

What do you think is the single biggest challenge facing Mardi Gras?

Mardi Gras needs corporate and government funding to continue to survive and prosper. It is always challenging maintaining these crucial relationships while nurturing the grass roots community connection and involvement that is the very core of Mardi Gras.

As a Director of Mardi Gras what do you expect to achieve between now and the 2018 AGM?

Stability. The last twelve months have seen incredibly destructive behaviour by a couple of directors and virtually complete turnover of staff, yet a great season and a strong financial result. My aim for the next twelve months is to create stability in the boardroom and support the new CEO and Creative Director so they can get on with delivering a terrific season.

What skills and experience equip you to perform the duties of a Company Director?

I’ve been on boards of companies for 14 years, including this one, and am a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Australian Institute of Management. I have 9 years experience as a Company Secretary and CEO who reports to a board of directors and so I understand the roles, responsibilities and relationships intimately. I have qualifications in Commerce, Management and Business Administration.

What obligations, if any, do you believe Mardi Gras has to fulfil as a representative of the political interests of the LGBTI community?

It is not the role of Mardi Gras to represent political interests. It is the role of Mardi Gras to provide a platform, for example by way of the Parade, for the diverse range of LGBTI groups to have their voice.

Jesse Matheson

Jesse Matheson is standing in coalition with Peta Miller and Murray Hood.

What makes you the strongest candidate?

I’ve been a journalist in the LGBTIQ community and volunteer across Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras’ Youth, Marketing, Creative and Membership working groups for almost 10 years now.

This has given me a unique insight into how the organisation works, what it needs to improve its relationship with the community and the challenges the organisation faces in the future. That knowledge will be invaluable on the Board.

Jesse Matheson wants to apologise for his past columns. Picture: Supplied
Jesse Matheson

What is your vision for the future of Mardi Gras?

A Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras that actively supports the LGBTIQ community throughout the year and is a constant, positive presence.

This could be through charity fundraising, community grants and sponsorship or further investment in itself as a platform to give individuals and community groups the opportunity to spread their message and be heard across Australia and the world every day.

What do you think is the single biggest challenge facing Mardi Gras?

More young people need to be involved in the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras and the LGBTIQ community. I don’t believe youth are disinterested or apathetic about the organisation, quite the opposite, but how we show our pride and fight for equality is changing and Mardi Gras must adapt.

Youth are the future of our community so it’s our responsibility to make sure opportunities to get involved are accessible to them.

As a Director of Mardi Gras what do you expect to achieve between now and the 2018 AGM?

There is a lot of work to do until then. Fair Day, one of the festival’s most important fundraisers, is changing locations, there is a debate about the role of the organisation and we have the 40th anniversary coming up.

I’m committed to ensuring the Board builds upon the surplus posted this year, works with the community to create understanding around Mardi Gras and lays the groundwork for the future of the organisation I described above.

What skills and experience equip you to perform the duties of a Company Director?

I’ve shown leadership, respect of process and practical decision making throughout as a working group volunteer for Mardi Gras. As a journalist I am a communicator and for the Board to be successful Directors must learn to communicate better with the organisation, Members and the community.

Importantly, I understand that the role of a Director is not about imposing my beliefs onto others, but is about putting the organisation first, listening to the Members and community, corporate governance, upholding the organisation’s I-CARE values and making the tough (and sometimes unpopular) decisions to ensure the financial viability of this organisation.

It’s a massive responsibility and I do not take it lightly.

What obligations, if any, do you believe Mardi Gras has to fulfil as a representative of the political interests of the LGBTI community?

We as a community are having this conversation right now and I am listening. Our message to the community in 2011 was “It’s Your Parade” and this really resonated with me.

It’s not up to any one person or group (or one Director or even the whole Board) to decide what Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras must look like or fight for. The whole community must be involved and work together to decide the future of Mardi Gras and that is the only way we can all move forward.

Why do you feel it’s important that you, Peta Miller and Murray Hood all campaign together?

We believe Directors should work together to promote a cohesive leadership and we decided to do this from the outset.

The three of us came together because of our shared determination to create a unified Board, our extensive experience in both the LGBTIQ community and the organisation, and because we all believe Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras is a platform for all of our community to be a part of.

We are stronger together and that is the philosophy that we will take to the Board room.

Peta Miller

Peta Miller is standing in coalition with Jesse Matheson and Murray Hood.

What makes you the strongest candidate?

I am committed to advocating for women in Mardi Gras, and ensure that women’s voices are heard within the organisation at all levels.

I am personally committed to representing groups including rainbow families, and LGBTI people from non-metropolitan, rural and regional areas of Australia.

I have professional experience in governance, and have worked as a volunteer within our community.

What is your vision for the future of Mardi Gras?

My vision sees increased promotion and inclusion of women in all areas of the organisation, from board room to volunteers, events and safe spaces. My vision is of a cohesive board with directors that work together, so that Mardi Gras can continue to celebrate the power and beauty of diversity.

What do you think is the single biggest challenge facing Mardi Gras?

The single biggest challenge is creating and maintaining a cohesive board, to try and restore the community’s faith in Mardi Gras. Then we can work on ensuring minority groups within our community are given a voice, including but not limited to women, people with a disability and people from non-metro, rural and regional areas.

As a Director of Mardi Gras what do you expect to achieve between now and the 2018 AGM?

As a woman and advocate for all women in our community, I will ensure that women’s voices are heard within the organisation at all levels.

Up until 2015 there was a Mardi Gras women’s committee, I will work to get this reinstated to ensure women have a voice within Mardi Gras from the volunteers to the directors of the board.

Women are identifying under many labels, not just lesbian and bisexual but also queer and many others. Some sexuality and gender diverse women are also choosing not to be labelled at all. I will ensure that I represent all of these women Mardi Gras. I aim to reach this broader spectrum of women to ensure they have access to information and events.

There is alarming anecdotal evidence that harassment of women occurs in gay venues. I will promote the inclusion of safe spaces for women at Mardi Gras events and other venues in our community.

Rainbow families are on the increase, and have the potential to be marginalised as parents are majority same sex female couples. I will provide a voice for rainbow families and associated organisations to the board and ensure their needs are addressed.

What skills and experience equip you to perform the duties of a Company Director?

I have over 20 years’ experience in governance at a professional and organisational level, having worked for government and non-government organisations. My background is in Child Welfare; in the front line, as an advocate and consultant. My work continues to take me to rural Australia, where I have experience connecting with people of all different backgrounds. In the last three years I have been an active volunteer within Mardi Gras, as a project manager for Women Say Something events and fundraising for Lip Sync Duels.

What obligations, if any, do you believe Mardi Gras has to fulfil as a representative of the political interests of the LGBTI community?

The political interests of the LGBTI community are varied, with all of our major political parties represented in the parade. Mardi Gras should remain a collectivist organisation and provide a platform for LGBTI people and groups to represent themselves in events such as the parade.

Why do you feel it’s important that you all campaign together?

We believe Directors should work together to promote a cohesive leadership and we decided to do this from the outset. The three of us came together because of our shared determination to create a unified Board, our extensive experience in both the LGBTIQ community and the organisation, and because we all believe Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras is a platform for all of our community to be a part of. We are stronger together and that is the philosophy that we will take to the Board room.

Greg Small

What makes you the strongest candidate?

I have been on the SGLMG Board for over 5+ years and involved with MG for over 10 years.

Operationally, I have had the honor of being Board sponsor to all our major events Party, Sleaze and Fairday including being licensee of Fairday 3 times.

Financially, I have been Chair of the Finance Working Group and been on numerous Boards that have delivered significant profits to the strategic reserves including this year where we delivered profit of $188K. I am commercially astute and have a proven history of balancing the organisations risk profile versus community verses commercialism.

I have a strong governance background and was part of the team to deliver the first elements of constitutional reform 12 months ago and will continue to lead the work on delivering a new modern constitution, which is vital to the organisation as we move forward.

I am the current Co Chair of the organisation and have been privileged to work closely with all our major partners, sponsors, staff and volunteers over the past 12 months on fostering a positive relationship for all.

Greg Small
Greg Small

What is your vision for the future of Mardi Gras?

SGLMG will be the number one LGBTQI festival in the world and become a must visit festival for not only our LGBQTI community, but also its friends.

SGLMG will continue to be focused creating opportunities of celebration where all the different tribes within our community can come and have their voice and messages not only heard but also amplified to the world stage.

SGLMG will partner will other key stakeholders organisations to broaden the opportunities for celebration including rural NSW in the short term and regional Australia in the longer term.

SGLMG will continue to embrace diversity and inclusiveness by ensuring that our vilified communities members like our trans, refuges and woman, have greater opportunity to have their voices heard.

SGLMG will become the market leader of workplace culture where both our staff and volunteers are treated with the utmost of respect and given opportunities to further themselves both spiritually and professionally.

What do you think is the single biggest challenge facing Mardi Gras?

SGLMG biggest challenge is “staying relevant”.

Whether that’s to its founders the 78ers: by ensuring that we continue to celebrate our community by providing opportunities for the various tribes within the community to have their say.

Or to the next generation of LGBTQI youth, our members, supporters, staff and volunteers.

And not only staying relevant, but growing and becoming ingrained in the hearts and minds that will allow the organisation to grow and celebrate its 100 year anniversary.

As a Director of Mardi Gras what do you expect to achieve between now and the 2018 AGM?

Constitutional reform is probably one of the single most important pieces of work for the organisation.

Over the past two years, I have been Chair of the Constitutional Working Group. As a team, we successfully held an EGM in 2015 to make the first range of changes to the constitution and again expect to take more proposed changes to the membership in 2017. In fact, we will be proposing significant changes to the both Constitutions.

I will continue to drive this change with the aim of having new constitutions for both organisations in Q2 2017.

The organisation needs to continue with its stable economic platform delivering on the balance between investments and building its long-term stability through projects like securing a permanent workshop and the establishment of a LGBTQI museum. Both these projects will not be delivered by 2018, but extensive groundwork needs to be done to move them forward.

The organisation not only needs constitutional reform, but also a governance and risk framework refresh.

The organisation needs to continue to find its social justice voice focusing on tribes within our community that have been marginalised including trans, refugees and women.

Lastly, the organisation needs to continue to focus on community and becoming relevant to all members of the LGBTQI tribes. Allot of work needs to be done on our membership value proposition with the aim of it becoming a must for all.

What skills and experience equip you to perform the duties of a Company Director?

Professionally, I have had over 15 years of senior management supply chain experience managing budgets in excess of hundreds of millions of dollars managing staffs of over 2000.

I have worked all over the world in some of the most challenging environments including Afghanistan, Dubai, Pakistan and Papua New Guinea.

I have been an active member of the LGBTQI community for many years, involved with SGLMG for over 10 years and a Director of it for over 5 years.

I have a proven track record on delivering, not only professionally, but also with SGLMG.

What obligations, if any, do you believe Mardi Gras has to fulfil as a representative of the political interests of the LGBTI community?

SGLMG has an important role to play in the voice of our community and issues that are affecting it.

But the significant difference between it and many others is that we do it through celebration.

Celebration where members of LGBTQI community can amplify messages to the world!

The first Mardi Gras parade was a celebration that turned into a protest march.

We need to honor our foundations while balancing our social justice voice and continuing to work with our partners to ensure that key messages get delivered on the world stage.

Steven Warren

What makes you the strongest candidate?

I believe that my wealth of skills from having served successfully on a variety of committees including 3 major boards and my events & community development background give me valuable skills to support the work of the SGL Mardi Gras organisation & board. Adding my long standing involvement with Mardi Gras & the LGBTQI community as a 78er & in various other roles adds to that benefit. More importantly I believe in the ICARE principles and in working in a team approach to achieve stable management and a safe working environment for our staff & volunteers.

What is your vision for the future of Mardi Gras?

To see Mardi Gras continue as a beacon for celebration of who we are and for equality in all areas as a strong community organisation & advocate for our rights!

What do you think is the single biggest challenge facing Mardi Gras?

To ensure it continues to be financially viable and remains grounded in our community.

As a Director of Mardi Gras what do you expect to achieve between now and the 2018 AGM?

To ensure sound policy development, stable management, and community input for an amazing 40th anniversary of SGL Mardi Gras.

What skills and experience equip you to perform the duties of a Company Director?

A strong long term background in community management, fiscal responsibilities including multi-million dollar budgets, staff & volunteer care and training education background. I am also a listener & do-er.

What obligations, if any, do you believe Mardi Gras has to fulfil as a representative of the political interests of the LGBTI community?

My obligations would be to listen to our community, identify & act our needs and rights, to help & find positive solutions, & to act within the roles of a Board member.

Previously announced candidates Justin Rossetto and Kate Wickett have withdrawn their candidacy.

Samuel Day, Katrina Dopper and Russell Weston did not respond to the Star Observer at the time of publication. You can read their candidate statements here and this story will update with their responses if or when they are received.

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