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Tassie Faces Aussie Mardi Gras Ban Over Gay, Lesbian Visitors’ Guide

 Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Visitors’ Guide shown the door by Sydney organisers

HOBART, February 12, 2010  –  A publication prepared by an Australian gay rights advocacy group has been banned by the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, prompting criticism that the Mardi Gras is favouring corporate interests over community values.

The Mardi Gras Association has banned the Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Visitors’ Guide published by Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group spokesperson, Rodney Croome, along with all stalls and materials promoting Tasmania, from this year’s Fair Day.

The reason, the Mardi Gras group says is because of a sponsorship deal with Events NSW.

Mr Croome said in a statement toUK Gay News that he is “outraged” by the ban.

“The Visitors’ Guide includes information on Tasmanian gay and lesbian history, culture and community not available elsewhere, which patrons of Fair Day will find valuable regardless of whether they are planning a Tasmanian holiday,” Mr Croome said.

“I fought against numerous anti-gay bans in Tasmania in the 1990s – from the banning of our stall at Salamanca Market to the banning of anti-homophobia materials in schools – but never in my wildest dreams did I expect a mainland gay organisation to ban information about Tasmania.

“Whether a ban is motivated by hate or, in the case of the Mardi Gras, by money, censorship is censorship and should be resisted,” he added.

The Mardi Gras Association has interpreted its sponsorship contract with Events NSW to preclude the promotion of any other state as a tourist destination at any Mardi Gras event.

As a result, Tourism Tasmania has been banned from next weekend’s Fair Day despite having successfully participated in the event for a decade, and despite continuing to be welcomed at gay community festivals in other state capitals.

The Fir Day is expected to attract over 70,000 people,

Individual gay-owned Tasmanian travel operators who would normally promote their businesses from the Tourism Tasmania stall have been given refuge by other stall-holders, but are still prohibited from distributing any materials promoting Tasmania as a state, including the Visitors' Guide.

Mr Croome said the ban on Tourism Tasmania is deeply unfair.

“Tourism Tasmania has worked hard and successfully to turn around Tasmania’s former reputation for homophobia and it has does this in a way which shows a genuine commitment to the importance of community, he said.

“It has funded anti-homophobia training sessions for tourism operators, supported gay community events, included same-sex couples in its mainstream advertising, scrupulously ensured that community members are involved in all its promotional activities, consulted regularly with gay community representatives and published booklets like the Visitors’ Guide which provide valuable information about Tasmanian gay history and community.

“Tourism Tasmania models best practice when it comes to community participation in government and corporate activities, and is one the most prominent ambassadors for gay and lesbian Tasmania at the Mardi Gras festival, yet the Mardi Gras has ignored all this in the name of protecting the corporate interests of one of its sponsors.”

Mr Croome went on to question the need for Mardi Gras to sign exclusive sponsorship deals.

“Australia’s other gay and lesbian festivals get by okay without exclusivity clauses in their sponsorship deals, as do other niche travel events like garden shows, and food and wine shows, where Events NSW and Tourism Tasmania participate on an equal footing, he pointed out.

“Mardi Gras seems blind to the fact that the cost of exclusive contracts in terms of community ill-will far outweighs whatever short-term financial benefit they may have,” he concluded.

The 2010 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Fair Day will take place on Sunday February 21st in Victoria Park, Chippendale.

A copy of the banned Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Visitors' Guide can be viewed HERE

SEE ALSO

The Corporatisation of Mardi Gras and Queer Media Censorship.  By Peter Hackney.   The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras has lost its political and activist roots, preferring alliances with corporations rather than community.  And the queer media is no better...   (The Scavenger, February 11, 2010)

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