Congratulations to the Mardi Gras staff, board, members and volunteers, and each of the 170 floats and 12,500 participants who danced their way up Oxford Street at the weekend.
Ms JENNY LEONG (Newtown) [1.28 p.m.]: I draw to the attention of the House the fabulous 2016 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras festival, which culminated in the parade held on Saturday night. I congratulate the Mardi Gras staff, board, members and volunteers, and each of the 170 floats and 12,500 participants who danced their way up Oxford Street at the weekend, filling the streets with acceptance, inclusion, love, dancing, rainbows and glitter. I was privileged to be part of the parade, marching alongside many fantastic floats. I give a special shout out to the 78ers who participated, in the wake of the recent and long overdue parliamentary apology. I also give a special shout out to the No Pride in Detention float that highlighted the terrible circumstances faced by refugees in Australian detention, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and questioning refugees fleeing persecution. I also recognise the many outstanding community and organisation floats—including the ACON Aboriginal Project, Rainbow Families, Gayby Baby, Wear it Purple, Twenty10, various queer student networks, Rainbow Babies and Kids, Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, the Uniting Network, Australian Olympians and Paralympians, and Dykes on Bikes.
