Pride marches on rain, hail and shine

Pride marches on rain, hail and shine

It was a wild, windy day, but crowds still gathered en masse along Fitzroy St on Sunday to show their colours at Victoria’s 17th annual Pride March.

Organisations from around Victoria braved the weather including Victoria Police, the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, Ambulance Victoria, political parties of all stripes, and LGBTI community organisations and social groups.

Pride March Victoria president Brett Hayhoe told the Star Observer the event was one of the “most successful” marches in Victoria Pride’s history.

“It was one of the biggest in terms of both participants in the march and spectators. Fitzroy St was flooded with people watching,” he said.

However, while rain held off during the march itself, revellers ducked for cover as the procession reached its conclusion and rain set in, leading to disappointing numbers for post-march festivities.

“Let’s not talk about Catani Gardens,” Hayhoe said. “There’s not much you can do about the weather.”

IN PICS: Photo Gallery #1

IN PICS: Photo Gallery #2

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IN PICS: Photo Gallery #4

During speeches, Hayhoe announced Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Ken Lay had been unable to attend because of a conflicting engagement at a Black Saturday bushfires memorial service.

Representing Lay, Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Emmett Dunne told crowds Victoria Police is looking to improve its response to diverse communities.

“Internally we’re developing a strong culture of social inclusion and while we have a long way to go, we’ve come far,” Dunne said.

“As an organisation, we’re also focusing on responding better to members of diverse communities who are victims of crime.

“We recognise the significant impact crimes arising from prejudice have on vicitms and the community as a whole.”

Prahran MP Clem Newton-Brown, who marched with former Liberal senator Judith Troeth and state Mental Health Minister Mary Wooldridge, told crowds the event was a great celebration of Melbourne’s diversity.

“One of the things I’m most proud of delivering is the $4 million we directed specifically to GLBTI mental health. It’s important the message is out there, particularly for the younger kids, that it is okay to be not heterosexual.”

Shadow Attorney-General Martin Pakula said everyone was entitled to equal treatment.

“We are all entitled to our own identity and to display that proudly wherever we might go,” Pakula said.

“The idea we are all entitled to find love and to commit for life, if that’s what we want to do, and all be entitled to give it the same name, whether we’re straight or gay, ought to be entirely uncontroversial.” City of Port Phillip
Mayor Rachel Powning called on federal Parliament to move to allow same-sex marriage.

“For all of us, [Pride] should be about taking a stand against homophobia, bigotry and ignorance. “Human rights must never be given to some and not others,” she said.

Federal Greens MP Adam Bandt also marched with his party’s contingent, alongside state Greens MPs Sue Pennicuick and Greg Barber. State Labor MPs Martin Foley (Albert Park), Bronwyn Pike (Melbourne) and Richard Wynne (Richmond) joined Rainbow Labor’s walk down Fitzroy St.

As promised, Hobsons Bay City Council Mayor Tony Briffa (pictured) wore his ceremonial robes during the march.

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7 responses to “Pride marches on rain, hail and shine”

  1. When will people wake up and realize that the pride march after party has been crapmfor the last two years since byo booze was banned and you have to go through a security checkpoint like your in a prison, don’t blame the weather the year before was the same no one went

  2. Good tweet Micheal! Good pic to ;-)

    Peter in Brisbane, I hope the recent weather was kind to you!

    Disgusted – Well said!

    Having Clem and Wooldridge reminds me of sea sickness last time I was on the ferry in Malaysia, and they played the movie, “The perfect storm”, at a time the waves were higher then the ferry! Yo

  3. Clem Newton-Brown’s participation in Pride was not a public display of his support for the GLBTIQ community. It was a public display of his hypocrisy.

    CNB has voted TWICE in support of legislation stripping away some of our protections under the Equal Opportunity Act. Similarly, Mary Wooldridge ignored her ministerial responsibilities for women and for mental health by also supporting the same legislation.

    The integrity of the Pride March has been compromised by their attendance.

  4. Good on you Dave for exposing those Nazi’s.

    Normal citizens scratch their heads in disbelief at the appointment of Robert Clark as Attorney General.

    How can a twisted with make major Government decisions and considered opinions for normal people.

  5. I am sick to death of Liberal pollies who vote to strip us of human rights, and march in pride saying “look at me, look at me”.

    Clem Newton Brown voted stripping protections out of the Equal Opportnity Act, and no doubt supports the 4 million in mental health funding, as the Attorney General Robert Clark said homosexuality is a sick disease and it is a destructive lifestyle.

    The Liberal/National Party has helped children up onto a bridge and pushed. 4 million will not pay for our most recent hate crime, where a man was tied up and burnt to death. How is it equality when you can work hard, study hard, but still not get the job in Victoria based on your sexuality? How is it equality allowing employers to discriminate in thousands of community sector government funded jobs?

    I am sorry, but taking a baseball bat to our community, to those nobble people who look after you when cannot look after yourself, to those who work in soup kitchens, simply does not cut it with me. The boo’s from the crowd were well deserved Clem, because you and your brethren will never stop the right to live as freely as the next person, no matter what spin you smother us with!