今日吃瓜

This week a 90-meter rainbow footpath which runs along the area of Prince Alfred Park known 鈥淓quality Green鈥� was unveiled in Surry Hills.

But its reveal, through a photoshoot on the Lord Mayor鈥檚 personal Facebook page, has raised concern among other councillors.

The footpath was painted in rainbow colours in celebration of marriage equality following a suggestion by the Surry Hills Business Partnership. When the idea was brought before the City of Sydney council in November, it had unanimous support.

Equality Green in Prince Alfred Park is a significant location for the pride path as it鈥檚 where 30,000 people gathered to hear the results of Australia鈥檚 same sex marriage plebiscite.

Independent councillor Kerryn Phelps, a key figure in the marriage equality campaign, told Star Observer she and her wife Jackie were amongst the crowd on the day to hear the result. She said it was a moment they had 鈥渨orked hard to achieve for two decades.鈥�

鈥淲hen Jackie and I visited the site today we were reminded of the overwhelming emotions of that day in 2017, of elation and relief,鈥� she said.

鈥淓lation because the majority of Australians had voted YES, and relief that the horrible and distressing time of the brutal 鈥淣o鈥� campaign and the postal survey was over.鈥�

But when the much anticipated footpath was revealed this week it wasn鈥檛 through council social media pages or a public opening, it was through a promotional photoshoot for Lord Mayor Clover Moore鈥檚 social media page.

Dr. Phelps said neither she nor Christine Forster, who is also a member of the LGBTQI+ community and was also a key figure in the marriage equality campaign, were invited to share in the moment it was revealed.

鈥淐hristine and I were both surprised to find out about the completion of this Council project via a photo op on Clover Moore鈥檚 social media,鈥� she said.

鈥淭his is an issue Jackie and I worked on for two decades and you would think, at the very least, that the two LGBTQI councillors would have been invited to what is an extremely important and emotional place for us and our families.鈥�

Unusual but not unprecedented

Dr. Phelps said Ms. Moore posting the reveal on her own social media profiles as opposed to council ones was 鈥渁n unusual move鈥� as it was a 鈥渉istoric initiative鈥� all of council should be proud of. But she noted this was not the first time this has happened.

鈥淧rojects like this are City of Sydney projects. All councillors assess the merits, and vote on them and we take an interest in the impact they have on our various communities,鈥� she said.

鈥淵et they were 鈥渓aunched鈥� and opened by Clover Moore without other councillors even being told about it, let alone included.鈥�

When approached for comment, Ms. Forster agreed with Dr. Phelps鈥� sentiment and said 鈥渋t鈥檚 a pattern of behaviour for the Lord Mayor to exclude opposition councillors from such opportunities.鈥�

鈥淭he rainbow is supposed to be for the entire community, not just Clover鈥檚 cronies,鈥� she told City Hub.

The timing of these private openings in the lead up to the City of Sydney council election, which will be held on Saturday 4 September 2021, has also raised eyebrows among Mayor Moore鈥檚 challengers.

Dr. Phelps said while 鈥渢here is no doubt that Clover Moore has been a strong ally for the LGBTQI community,鈥� the use of Equality Green and the rainbow path for Ms. Moore鈥檚 personal political purposes was offensive to her and many others.

鈥淭he rainbow flag is meant to be a universal symbol of inclusion. Inclusion is more than a word in a policy document, it is about attitudes and actions.鈥�

In NSW are held every 4 years but due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic the 2020 elections were postponed. Earlier this month Dr. Phelps announced she would be challenging Ms. Moore for the top position and Ms. Forster announced she would be stepping back from council.