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Commemoration of Marriage Equality

29/10/2018 - Commemoration of Marriage Equality

Commemoration of Marriage Equality

File No: S051491

Minute by the Lord Mayor

To Council:

On 15 November 2017, hundreds of thousands of people gathered in public spaces across Australia, including over 30,000 in Prince Alfred Park, to hear the results of the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey.

Many were positive and confident, others were cautiously optimistic. Few people wanted to contemplate a negative result. For many LGBTIQ Australians, their friends and families, the postal survey had been hurtful, cruel and the source of great anxiety. Having to ask their fellow Australians to pass judgement on their personal lives was challenging and confronting. Yet, faced with the reality of the postal survey, they had little choice but to campaign to win.

Shortly after 10am, the Australian Statistician revealed that over 60 per cent of Australians had voted for marriage equality. Cheers and jubilant shouts of “yes” rang out across the park. After years of campaigning, and months of enduring the hurt and hostility caused by the survey, it was time to celebrate. It was a moment of national unity, of Australians coming together to say “we are all equal”. Love had won a landslide victory.

The co-chair of Australian Marriage Equality, Alex Greenwich MP, has written to me proposing that the City of Sydney permanently commemorate this momentous event in Australia’s progress towards equality and inclusiveness.

I agree with Alex Greenwich’s proposal. Naming the south-western lawn of Prince Alfred Park “Equality Green” will serve as a permanent reminder of a significant event for many of our fellow Australians.

Recommendation

It is resolved that:

(A)        Council provide in-principle approval to name the south-western lawn of Prince Alfred Park "Equality Green" and that the name be placed on public exhibition for community comment for a minimum period of 28 days; and

(B)        a report be submitted to Council on the results of the public consultation process.

COUNCILLOR CLOVER MOORE

Lord Mayor

Attachment A.              Letter from Alex Greenwich MP

Moved by the Chair (the Lord Mayor), seconded by Councillor Forster –

That the minute by the Lord Mayor be endorsed and adopted.

Carried unanimously.