SYDNEY, Nov. 12 (UPI) — Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull may not be welcomed back to the Sydney Mardi Gras parade due to his stance on same-sex marriage.
During an annual general meeting regarding the LGBT Mardi Gras celebration members passed a motion declaring Turnbull not welcome at the 2017 parade after he supported a government vote on same-sex marriage, ABC News reported.
Turnbull became the first sitting Prime Minister to attend the Sydney Mardi Gras event in March, but his decision to put marriage equality rights to a national vote outraged members of the board including social activist Cat Rose.
“In calling himself a friend of the community he’s emboldened all those homophobes and told them all their views are valid and should be respected by the community,” she said.
Rose also accused Turnbull of using his appearance at the 2016 parade as a “media opportunity” and said the board did not wish to have him back, the BBC reported.
“We wanted to express our disgust at his prime ministership as a community and to say that we don’t need his phony friendship,” she said. “For this reason we are not extending an invitation for him to attend the parade while we wait for equality.”
Australia’s Federal Government believes a referendum would be the fastest route to achieving marriage equality.
Opponents of the idea argue the vote would be expensive and could lead to a homophobic campaign.
Advocacy group Just Equal held a survey of 5,500 LGBT Australians, 85 percent of which opposed a referendum.
The proposal was also rejected by Australia’s Upper House by a vote of 33 to 29.
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