An Aboriginal Float was leading the Parade for the first time, with a banner saying 'WELCOME TO COUNTRY'.Īlso in the Parade were Vicki Harding and Jackie Braw with their daughter Brenna. In a major win for gay rights, a bill in New South Wales parliament passed in May to reduce the age of consent for gay men from 18 to 16, bringing it in line with the heterosexual and lesbian age of consent.Īn estimated 450,000 people lined the path of the Parade, which was structured around four themes – Freedom, Family, Passion and Joy. Parade floats included the satirical anti-war ‘Madame Saddam and her Weapons of Mass Seduction’. It was a profound experience."Ģ003 was an election year in New South Wales, so Mardi Gras volunteers donned t-shirts emblazoned with the slogan "We're Here, We're Queer, We Vote". Lots of them, including myself, were bawling their eyes out at the sense of relief and completion that it had all happened. The Board, volunteers and everyone who'd made this happen came together for one last dance. The 10am show's backdrop were the posters of the past 25 years. "We'd all seen this event we cared so deeply about dying, and coming back. "At the Party (Co-Chair) Stevie Clayton and I gave a short speech, which concluded with 'Together we created a new Mardi Gras' and the roar from the crowd was enormous," remembers Michael Woodhouse. The revived grassroots Mardi Gras festival enjoyed significant success, making a profit of almost $350,000.
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