Police Minister Yasmin Catley is “delighted” that Sydney Mardi Gras members have rejected efforts to exclude police officers from the organisation’s iconic annual parade but has acknowledged the need for NSW Police to “do better” in building trust with the LGBTQI+ community “after some frankly awful history”.
At the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras annual general meeting on Saturday, members voted down three motions that sought to either ban police from participating in the parade or restrict how they could march.
One of the motions, put forward by the Mardi Gras board, called for police to be excluded from marching “until such time as they demonstrate a commitment to improving relationships with LGBTQIA+ communities”. It was voted down 493 votes to 459 with 26 abstentions.
A second motion from activist group Pride in Protest that called for banning the police indefinitely was voted down 522 votes to 425 with 29 abstentions.
The third motion, defeated 482 to 419 with 36 abstentions, was from Rainbow Labor NSW co-convener Daniel Mitsuru Delisle, who proposed limiting the police’s participation in the parade to LGBTQIA+ officers only and preventing those officers from wearing official uniforms or carrying weapons.
“I am delighted to hear that at today’s meeting of the Mardi Gras Board [and members] a number of motions seeking to exclude NSW police officers from marching in the parade were defeated,” Catley told Gay Sydney News in a statement on Saturday afternoon.
The outcome of the vote ensures that NSW Police, whose officers have been a regular presence in the parade for the past two decades, will continue to march. Catley highlighted the importance of this inclusion for LGBTQI+ police officers and the broader community.
“NSW Police has hundreds of LGBTQI+ officers who are extremely proud of who they are and also proud to be police,” she said.
“Our GLLOs (Gay and Lesbian Liaison Officers) are integral to supporting the community and re-building trust with police after some frankly awful history.
“It is that effort that has seen police vastly improve on past performance in this area, a fact celebrated by their presence in the Mardi Gras parade for the past two decades.
“It would have been devastating for them to be excluded so this is a great result for all those officers,” she said.
The issue of the police’s participation in the parade came to a head earlier this year when former NSW Police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon was charged with two counts of domestic violence-related murder following the deaths of Sydney couple Jesse Baird and Luke Davies.
The vote also comes amid ongoing debates within the LGBTQI+ community about the role of police in pride events, given historical tensions and mistrust stemming from past incidents.
While Catley acknowledged concerns, she expressed optimism about continuing efforts to build stronger relationships between police and the LGBTQI+ community.
“It’s clear from the debate today that the community also want [NSW Police] to do better in building that critical trust and better connecting and communicating with the LGBTQI+ community,” Catley said.
Catley pledged her support for these efforts, adding that NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb shares this commitment to fostering trust.
“That’s certainly an objective I support and I know [Police] Commissioner [Karen] Webb does too,” she said.
A Sydney Mardi Gras spokesperson said they could not provide any statements because the board was in caretaker mode until new directors were elected and inducted following the annual general meeting.
A NSW Police spokesperson confirmed to Gay Sydney News earlier that the organisation had made a submission to be part of the 2025 Mardi Gras parade, that it was “working with organisers on next steps”, and that it was looking forward to meeting the new Mardi Gras board “in the near future”.
NSW Police’s spokesperson welcomed the outcome of Saturday’s annual general meeting but declined to reveal whether any conditions had been placed on the organisation in terms of marching in next year’s parade.
“The NSW Police Force has been marching in the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras since 1998 and for the LGBTQIA+ staff and allies within the NSW Police Force as well as their friends and family, this remains an important and significant annual event,” the police spokesperson said.
“The NSW Police Force is dedicated to supporting LGBTQIA+ communities and takes pride in its role as a community leader for inclusion and diversity.
“The NSW Police Force also values its ongoing close relationship with the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras to ensure the safety and success of its events.”
Editor’s note: Journalists Eliot Hastie and Ben Grubb pay $50 annually for Mardi Gras memberships to access discounts at retail stores and bars but don’t use the membership’s voting rights. Hastie knew Jesse Baird.
Gay Sydney News reporter
Gay Sydney News editor