Sydney Mardi Gras members have narrowly rejected a proposal to lobby for Mardi Gras parade day to be recognised as a public holiday, voting 483 to 468 against it during the organisation’s annual general meeting on Saturday.
The push was among twelve motions proposed at the annual general meeting, including:
- Three failed motions seeking varying levels of exclusion of NSW Police officers from the parade.
- A successful motion passed 691 votes to 206 (with 62 abstentions) endorsing a campaign advocating for “freedom and dignity” for transgender women in immigration detention.
- A successful motion passed 477 votes to 445 (with 49 abstentions) seeking Mardi Gras “do more to support western Sydney and regional NSW queers”.
- Three failed motions relating to the Palestinian people and the boycotts, divestments, and sanctions (BDS) campaign, including one proposing a review of Mardi Gras’ ethics charter to “ensure partners are not complicit in a genocide”.
- A failed motion voted down 477 votes to 441 (with 46 abstentions) calling for an in-person safety summit open to Mardi Gras members and non-members following “ongoing issues with violence by both the far right, and the police, toward queer people”.
- A failed motion voted down 470 votes to 434 (with 32 abstentions) that called on Mardi Gras to inform federal parliamentarians they are unwelcome at its events until they “end religious exemptions to discrimination and include our entire community in the census”, and to inform state parliamentarians who opposed Alex Greenwich’s Equality Bill in full that they “continue to be unwelcome” at Mardi Gras events.
- A failed motion voted down 492 votes to 423 (with 80 abstentions) to end Mardi Gras’ American Express corporate sponsorship, citing claims that the company discriminates against sex workers.
The activist group Pride in Protest was behind ten of the twelve motions, including the public holiday push.
The two remaining motions, one from Rainbow Labor NSW co-convener Daniel Mitsuru Delisle and the other from the Mardi Gras board, both addressed police participation in the parade.
Motions passed at the annual general meeting are non-binding, meaning that the Mardi Gras board ultimately decides how to treat them.
Mardi Gras’ website says the board will meet within 10 days following the annual general meeting to discuss the motions. Mardi Gras members will then be notified of outcomes when they become available.
The failed public holiday motion, proposed by Willow Lont, asked that Mardi Gras members recommend the organisation’s board express public support for establishing parade day as a state-wide holiday to ensure “workers are fairly compensated for their work during this day”.
The proposal further recommended that Mardi Gras write to the NSW premier to formally express its support and commitment to establishing the holiday. Additionally, it suggested that Mardi Gras engage with the City of Sydney mayor and other Inner West councillors to rally support for the initiative.
There were 468 votes in favour (45.70%) of the motion, 483 against (47.17%) and 73 abstentions (7.13%).
Speaking against the motion, one member raised concerns about the financial implications, noting it could lead to increased costs from paying penalty rates to Mardi Gras festival workers.
While clarifying they were not “100 per cent” opposed to the idea, the member acknowledged its potential benefits for hospitality workers and others.
However, they cautioned that in Mardi Gras’s current financial situation (a $1.2 million deficit last financial year), “it will skyrocket the operational costs of the festival and I don’t think that that can be overlooked. I like this [idea] in general, but I don’t know whether it’s realistic in our current position.”
Another member, who was not aligned with Pride in Protest, spoke passionately in support of the motion, highlighting its broader significance beyond workers’ rights.
“This motion is [framed around] … workers’ rights but I think there’s a lot more to this motion,” they said.
“This is a gem of a motion. This speaks to visibility, it speaks to inclusion, it speaks to our heritage, and it speaks to finding belonging in our state.”
They argued that a public holiday to mark the upcoming 50th anniversary of Mardi Gras in 2028 would be a powerful acknowledgment of the community’s contributions.
“And what … better way to celebrate our 50th anniversary than with a public holiday.”
The member said that while they understood concerns about increased operational costs, “We know we have made it and we are included in our state and in our society when there is a public holiday celebrating our heritage of what we’ve done.”
A third member expressed scepticism about the motion, particularly its emphasis on wages, noting that many parade night workers would already receive Saturday penalty rates. They also raised concerns about its impact on contractors working for Mardi Gras.
“Are you working for, you know, a Mardi Gras contractor? And if that’s the case, you would be getting contracted rates for working for a Mardi Gras contractor,” they said.
The member further questioned the feasibility of establishing a public holiday, suggesting a bank holiday as a more practical alternative. “You won’t get a public holiday; I can guarantee you that,” they added.
Editor’s note: Journalist Ben Grubb pays $50 annually for Mardi Gras membership to access discounts at retail stores and bars but doesn’t use the membership’s voting rights.
Gay Sydney News editor