Australia’s Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, is set to make history as the first sitting prime minister to march in Sydney’s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. He will join the parade for the WorldPride festival later in February, alongside Foreign Affairs Minister, Penny Wong, the first openly gay woman in parliament.
“We speak a lot about tolerance – and tolerance is really important – but this is about a step that is way more important than tolerance,” said Albanese. “We need to celebrate our diversity, not just tolerate it, because our diversity is what gives our society strength.” He paid tribute to the protesters who marched for gay rights in 1978 and spoke about the importance of celebrating diversity.
In 2016, Malcolm Turnbull became the first sitting prime minister to attend the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, however he did not march in the parade. Albanese’s government is committed to removing inequality on the basis of sexuality or people’s identities, and he sees Australia as a beacon for the world where everyone is respected and celebrated regardless of their beliefs, sexuality or ethnicity.