In this November edition of the First Mardi Gras Inc. Newsletter, we have:
- Diane Minnis and Sandra Gobbo on the Mardi Gras Constitutional Changes
- Donald McPherson on Brisbane Pride Fair Day
- Diane Minnis on the Protest Perrottet demonstration
- Photos of our November Social Lunch
- Details of our Christmas at the Colombian event – Sunday 12 December
- Rebbell Barnes and Bill Ashton on How to get your 78ers badges, Raffle tickets and CAMP badges
- Calendar of Events.
Diane Minnis
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Constitution Review Committee webinar – 1 November 2021
A 16 member Constitution Review Committee (CRC) has been working since August 2021 on updating the Constitution of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.
The committee includes members from a variety of backgrounds including 78er Ross Aubrey and former Mardi Gras Board members: Jane Marsden, Liz Dods and Greg Small. The process was led by SGLMG Company Secretary Charmaine Belfanti.
On Monday 1 November 2021 Charmaine and the CRC hosted a webinar for Mardi Gras members – outlining the main changes and answering some, but not all, of the questions posed by participants.
Proposed changes
The stated aim of the review was that the current Constitution is the result of a series of piecemeal amendments over many years. It does not reflect the responsibilities SGLMG have under the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profits Commission (ACNC Act 2012) and Australian Corporations Law (Corporations Act 2001).
The advertised main changes to the Constitution include:
- updates to reflect new requirements of the ACNC Act and Corporations Law to protect charity status
- a new preamble which tells the story of our struggle, protest and celebrations since 1978
- an expanded Board, with 9 members up from the current 8, with 5 elected and 4 appointed to bring varied skills, experience and representation
- a First Nations representative on the Board, whether elected or appointed
- a policy requiring the Board to have 40% representation of people who identify as women, 40% representation of people who identify as men, and 20% for under-represented diversity groups, including transgender and non-binary people.
Some other gems that emerged during presentations and responses to questions were that:
- the board appoint a single Chair, rather than Co-Chairs
- the Chair of Directors must preside as chair at a General Meeting
- currently members with at least 5% (around 100) of the votes can request a general meeting and 2 members can propose a resolution. But now the number of members who can propose a resolution is at least 5% (around 100) of the votes.
My thoughts
I don’t mind the Board being expanded to 9 members, but I do have a real problem with having 4 of them appointed. This is a recipe for domination by a small group and is antidemocratic.
As a Board Member of New Mardi Gras in 2004, I moved a motion that the Board comprise 50% women and 50% men. The motion was not carried and made me pretty unpopular with the boys club. So I applaud the move to increase diversity on the Board, especially to address the persistent underrepresentation of women.
During the webinar, I asked a question on how the policy would work to have the Board comprise 40% women, 40% men and 20% including transgender and non-binary people. The response was wishy-washy, along the lines that the new Board would need to adopt the policy before it could be put into effect.
As a veteran of the ALP Affirmative Action campaigns in the 1990s, it is pretty obvious that this policy is not going to be enforced. It is wishful thinking that any change in Board diversity will happen without rule changes and quotas.
Similarly, there were no compelling reasons presented, other than that it’s the usual way companies are run, to have a single Chair. Currently, the Board determine its leadership roles and, after the formation of New Mardi Gras in 2003, there have almost always been Co-Chairs. This has increased women’s representation in leadership and allowed for effective partnerships that benefited the organisation.
Comments were made by the Company Secretary that a single Chair of Directors allows for succession planning and they *might* have a Deputy Chair….though this is not in the proposed Constitution.
The proposal that the Chair of Directors must preside as chair at a General Meeting is just cloud cuckoo land stuff. Almost none of the Co-Chairs I have seen in action have had the skills and knowledge of the meeting procedures to effectively chair a large, contentious general meeting.
The proposal to increase the number of members who can propose a resolution at a member-called general meeting from 2 to around 100 is another clearly anti-democratic move.
At the webinar several mainstream activist members of Mardi Gras were asking questions indicating their opposition to many of the key changes proposed. This has continued on Facebook. Given this, it doesn’t look like this new constitution will be passed by the 75% of members present at the General Meeting that considers it.
Diane Minnis
78er and First Mardi Gras Inc. Co-Chair
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Discussion following the Webinar
Following the webinar, a members group was created on Facebook called the SGLMG Constitution Review Forum. This allows members to express concerns, opinions and ask further questions, given that hardly any answers were provided during the webinar.
Discussions started in a lively manner with issues raised regarding the new Constitutional preamble which some saw as historically inaccurate and unnecessarily gentle in its language.
Some have questioned why this review is necessary. Given that the Constitution was updated in 2015 to cover the legal requirements under the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profits and Commission (ACNC Act 2012) and Australian Corporations Law (Corporations Act 2001).
There are ongoing discussions on the page, with animated debates on issues such as increasing the number of board members and the increase of terms for directors from 2 to 3 years and 3 terms (both measures were already voted down at previous AGMs). Questions have been raised regarding the number of proxies still not being addressed in the review. The change to allow proxies to be directed to non-members is seen as unnecessary.
The issue of quotas has also been discussed. Interestingly the Constitution Review Committee has suggested that the Board have 40% representation of people who identify as women, 40% representation of people who identify as men, and 20% for under-represented diversity groups, including transgender and non-binary people. This appears to be a rather clumsy attempt at inclusion and diversity.
It would appear that the intention of the Board had been to have the constitutional reform moved as a single resolution at the General Meeting which was to be held on 1 December. However once it was pointed out to SGLMG that the proposed meeting date coincided with World Aids Day, the meeting date has been changed and is yet to be announced.
I would encourage all 78ers who are members of SGLMG to join the Facebook forum. At the time of writing there has been very little interaction between the forum and the Constitution Review Committee. However members have been assured that there will be answers provided to all questions raised, and that the members’ concerns will be noted prior to the General Meeting at a new date to be set.
Sandra Gobbo
78er and First Mardi Gras Inc. Member
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Brisbane Pride March, Saturday 30th October 2021. Video clip: Facebook.
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On Saturday 30th October 2021 I attended the Brisbane Pride March and the Brisbane Pride Fair Day – wearing my 78ers t-shirt of course!
I boarded the senior’s bus provided by The Queensland Council for LGBTI Health (QC). Half way down the march I exited the bus and joined the QC marching group on foot.
On 24 August 2021, the Committee of Brisbane Pride Incorporated had decided to allow Queensland Police Officers to march in this year’s Brisbane Pride Festival Rally and March. But they requested that officers not march in uniform. Despite an apology from the Queensland Parliament for historic wrongs, the Queensland Police Service is yet to acknowledge or apologise for their past acts.
The Pride Fair Day was well represented by different public service organisations including Police and Corrective Services. There were other stalls with commercial companies but it was great to see so many community care organisations as well as aged care groups.
The Pride Fair Day was also a great opportunity to see all the varied members of our community from youngsters to elders. Sadly, I left early as the sun was very hot indeed!
Donald McPherson
78er and First Mardi Gras Inc. Member
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A couple of hundred people gathered in front of Sydney Town Hall for the Protest Perrottet demonstration on Sunday 31 October 2021. The event was organised by Community Action for Rainbow Rights (CARR).
The 78ers banner was there in support, along with 78ers Richard Thode, Diane Minnis, Barry Charles, Karl Zlotkowski, Wanda Kluke and Diane Fieldes.
Speakers included CARR’s April Holcombe and Patrick Wright, Green’s City of Sydney Lord Mayoral candidate Sylvie Ellsmore, LGBTIQ activist and nurse Julia, and Alex King from the Macquarie University Queer Collective.
The speakers focused on Premier Dominic Perrottet’s religious conservatism and how this may increase the likelihood of the Religious Discrimination and the Education (Parental Rights) Bills being passed in NSW.
After the speeches and chants, including No bigotry, no way We're gonna fight you, Perrottet, we marched through the city to Parliament House.
The next event from CARR will be a Protest Against the Religious Freedoms Bills demo on Saturday 4 December, 1pm Taylor Square.
Diane Minnis
78er and First Mardi Gras Inc. Co-Chair
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Join us for the first large in-person event that First Mardi Gras has held in more than 18 months. In between lockdowns, we held a couple of lunches and a picnic, but this is our first opportunity to get together as a larger group.
We will be returning to the first floor bar of the Colombian Hotel and providing some entertainment and finger food. You can enter from the Oxford street door and take the lift up, so that you don’t need to struggle up the stairs.
You can buy your own drinks and we are asking for a small entry fee to help cover costs of the event. There will be lucky door prizes and don’t forget to bring change to buy raffle tickets and badges. |
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78er badges are $5 each and postage is $3.09 (total $8.09). If you want to order more than one badge, the postage is still $3.09 for up to five badges. To order badges, email your name, postal address and the number of badges required to info@78ers.org.au. Then make your payment by funds transfer. Please use your name as the reference for your deposit. Alternatively, you can post a cheque.
CAMP badges are $3.50 each plus $3.00 packaging and postage. To order and obtain pricing for multiple badges, contact Robyn Kennedy at rk.am@bigpond.com. Please include your name, address and number of badges requested. Banking details for direct deposit will be provided. |
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2021 Raffle
We have opened up raffle ticket sales so that you can order by email. First make your payment, using the bank details in the 78ers badge article above, and then email your name and number of tickets. We will then email you a photo of your ticket numbers and your name on the ticket stubs.
The raffle will be drawn just prior to the 2022 Mardi Gras Parade.
Rebbell Barnes and Bill Ashton
78ers and First Mardi Gras Inc. Committee Members
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Calendar of Events
Please check links closer to the advertised dates for confirmation of events.
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