Pride marches into profit

Pride March Victoria has announced a $13k profit from this year’s march.

Although numbers were slightly down this year, the financial results show signs of recovery from the financial losses of 2007.

At the organisation’s annual general meeting last week Brett Hayhoe was elected for a second term as president. Hylton Brewer was elected vice-president, with Shane Marquis elected secretary and Martin Pfeffer voted treasurer.

Now heading into its 15th year, Pride March 2010 will conclude the Midsumma Festival which runs January 17 to February 7.

Pride March is typically held in St Kilda on the first Sunday in February.

Releasing its Annual Report, Pride March Victoria marked a $13,409 net profit from this year’s events (up from a deficit in 2008). The profit has been attributed to a more considered use of money and the employment of an events logistics company, the Adam Lowe Group, which is also behind the Midsumma Festival.

Hayhoe played down the profit, saying while he was pleased, the money would go towards replenishing the coffers after 2007’s washout event, which wiped out the group’s financial reserves.
Pride March costs more than $70,000 to run each year.

-œWe need to, as a board, in the interests of the longevity of this event, be able to build up those bank reserves again -” so as much as $13k may sound impressive in some people’s minds, it really is simply rebuilding and restocking for the unfortunate that may occur, Hayhoe said.

-œSome people question the relevance of Pride and I think what those people need to do is to realise Pride is not just a Melbourne concept, Pride is a worldwide concept.

-œIn some parts of the world, we are having real difficulties with countries, governments, even holding a pride march. Just [this week] the Baltic Pride has been put in jeopardy because a bunch of councillors in Riga, Latvia are calling it an immoral event.

-œI think every Pride around the world makes an overall impact by being visual, by being on the street and by showing the rest of the world how it can be and how it should be done.

Other announced changes to the line-up include a revamped Great Aussie Bake-off.

-œIt’s needed a shot in the arm for quite some time -” the Great Aussie Bake-off will also incorporate a jazz, cheese and wine soirée, Hayhoe said.