Convenors’ Report
A year of lobbying: a Committee member's perspective
Mardi Gras Developments
DISCRMN8 INVSBLE CRMNL16
Pride
Week 2002
Farewells & Thanks
THE LOBBY TEAM
Female Convenor
Somali Ghosh
Male Convenor
Andrew Picklesi
Secretary
Suzy Tay
Treasurer
Luke Gahan
Committee Members
Nikki Maloney
Anthony Powell
Shane Garland
Grant Colquhoun
Paula O'Sullivan
David Scamell
Matthew Baird
Amanda Millar
Robert McGrory
Luca Balboni
Jenni Millbank
To Contact Us:
Phone: 02 9360 6650
Fax: 9331 7963
glrl@glrl.org.au
NEWSLETTER: September 2002 |
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Pride Week 2002
To commemorate the anniversary of the 1969 uprising at New York City’s
Stonewall Inn and to ensure gay and lesbian rights were a focal point,
the Lobby was again on the organising committee of this year's Pride Week.
In addition to general organising, the Lobby hosted two of its own events
during the week.
The first, our community forum - "NSW - The Blase State. What happened to the rest of our rights?", was held at Gilligans in the Oxford Hotel on 25 June. Although only a small crowd attended, a number of key issues were discussed and many thoughtful questions answered. Our speakers included the Lobby's own Alex Sosnov (parenting), Andrew Pickles ('missing pieces' legislation) and Anthony Schembri (facilitator), as well as David Mills, Sydney Star Observer (role of the media in reporting on gay and lesbian issues), Brad Gray, Anti-Violence Project (update on violence against our community) and Peter Mapplestone, UNSW (age of consent issues)
Thanks to Terry Percy and the Oxford staff for setting up the night.
Towards the end of the week, on 29 June, we held our first and very successful
"Rhythms of the Night" fundraiser at the Midnight Shift. Over
$4,500 was raised for our state rights campaign including the production
of our postcard messages. Thanks to Damon Hartley and Norwest Productions
for the sound system, Paul Finegan and the Midnight Shift for the venue
and support in making ‘Rhythms’ such a great night. Thanks
to One Stop Dee Jay for ticketing help and of course JoJo Fernandes for
his masterful production, sublime DJing and tireless support for the work
of the Lobby. Also thanks to all the other entertainment and our hardworking
volunteers for staffing the door. And especially thanks to the many community
members for coming along on the night and supporting the Lobby.
A similar night is currently being planned for 30 November 2002 at the Shift, so we hope you can come along and continue to support us.
Aunty Jen’s Handy Hints for the Armchair LobbyistAunty Jen was greatly distressed to read about the problems with Mardi Gras. Why I had already started getting together my ensemble of cardigan, thermos, crotcheted rug, raincoat, inflatable cushion and specially selected milk crate in readiness for the 25th anniversary parade. It’s that night of the year when I feel like all my year’s worth of letter writing is worthwhile as I watch all the boys and girls parade up Oxford Street celebrating being gay and lesbian. But a good armchair lobbyist doesn’t let a little thing like financial crisis get in her way. The parade must go on! So I have already started putting wheels and an engine on the Jason recliner rocker. Why march up the street when you can ride in comfort I say. Well Aunty Jen will be there on the night of the parade next year. And I think that all my little armchair lobbyists should join me on the night and we’ll ride a convoy of Jason’s up the street. The nice boys next door, David and David, tell me there’s nothing better than a good ride on a Jason. After all it will be only a few weeks before the State election so we need to show the government that gays and lesbians and Jason recliner rockers won’t be kept down! See you there. |