NT
NT’s Top End celebrates at first Katherine Pride Festival
Hundreds of people turned out to celebrate at the inaugural Katherine Pride Festival in the Northern Territory last weekend. The event celebrating and supporting the region’s LGBTIQ+ community ran last weekend (June 18-20), organised by local group Top End Pride. Katherine is located 320 kilometres southeast of Darwin. It’s the Northern Territory’s fourth largest town. …
Katherine Pride Festival celebrations to begin in NT’s Top End
Northern Territory LGBTIQ group Top End Pride are getting ready to celebrate this year’s Katherine Pride Festival this weekend. Now in its second year, the Festival will run this weekend (June 18-20), with both free and ticketed events, entertainment and family-friendly activities. “Top End Pride aims to connect the LGBTIQ+ people in remote areas with …
Gay Indigenous MP Chansey Paech makes history in NT Parliament
Northern Territory MP Chansey Paech has this week become the country’s first openly gay indigenous speaker of an Australian parliament. Paech (pictured right), the Member for Namatjira, won his seat in the NT Legislative Assembly in the 2016 election. He became the first openly gay First Nations MLA in Australian history. In his maiden speech, …
Religious freedom bill ‘threatens human rights’ in NT
The Northern Territory AIDS and Hepatitis Council and Rainbow Territory have joined several other community organisations to reject the Morrison Government’s religious discrimination bill. In a joint statement, the groups warn the bill “threatens Territorians’ human rights and access to non-discriminatory employment, health and social services.” “It could impinge upon the rights of many within …
Northern Territory parliament fully decriminalises sex work
The Northern Territory parliament has passed historic legislation fully decriminalising sex work. NT Attorney-General Natasha Fyles said being a sex worker was a recognised profession in the NT. However, sex workers have had no protection and minimal rights. On Tuesday night, the NT Parliament passed the Sex Industry Bill 2019. The bill creates a decriminalised …
Rainbow Territory petition to scrap discriminatory NT law
LGBTIQ advocacy group Rainbow Territory are calling for the repeal of a law allowing religious schools to discriminate on the basis of sexuality. The NT’s Anti-Discrimination Act states a religious school may discriminate against a staff member at the institution based on religious beliefs and sexuality. The NT Attorney‑General’s department is currently reviewing the territory’s …
Darwin Pride responds to critics of rainbow roundabout
Darwin Pride has responded to criticism of the city’s new “rainbow roundabout” installed for this year’s pride celebrations. The rainbow roundabout is located at the corner of Daly Street and The Esplanade and consists of multi-coloured plants and flowers. The flowers will bloom in the colours of the LGBTIQ rainbow pride flag in time for …
ACL: drag story time will turn kids trans
The Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) recently lashed out at community drag story times. They claimed the “adult entertainment” events will make cis kids think they are trans. Drag story times are family-friendly events that see drag queens reading to young people in libraries and other public spaces. The events enjoy increasing popularity. Recently, the Northern …
Rainbow Territory calls for urgent NT anti-discrimination reforms
LGBTIQ advocacy group Rainbow Territory has called for the Northern Territory government to urgently progress anti-discrimination law reform after recent allegations of racial segregation in Alice Springs. Last week ABC News reported local hotel Ibis Styles Alice Springs Oasis allegedly instructed employees to direct guests from Aboriginal communities into designated rooms for the same price …
US LGBTI Activist Dies On Hike In Central Australia
Tributes have flowed for a US actor, writer and LGBTI activist who died last week while on a hike in central Australia. Matt Palazzolo, 33, is believed to have suffered heatstroke while climbing Mount Sonder on the popular Larapinta Trail, west of Alice Springs. Local police told the ABC Palazzolo and a companion had become …