Canberra installed a rainbow roundabout last weekend. It pays tribute to the city’s strong “yes” vote in the same-sex marriage postal survey.
The permanent artwork is on a roundabout in the inner north Canberra suburb of Braddon.
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr, said at last weekend’s Spring Out Pride Parade that the roundabout was about visibility. It was also part of his plan to make Canberra “the most inclusive city in Australia”. He is the first openly gay state or territory leader in Australia.
Marriage Equality Promise
The Chief Minister promised Canberrans the roundabout in return for their support of marriage equality.
“I think Canberra, as the home of the roundabout, definitely needs a rainbow roundabout in the heart of the city,” he said at the time.
“I think Canberra’s LGBTIQ community has hidden its light under a bushel a little in recent times,” he said.
“We’re going to see a more active and visible community participating, not in only LGBTIQ events, but also having a role in a range of mainstream Canberra events to demonstrate how much this community values inclusion and diversity.”
Anne-Marie Delahunt, chair of the LGBTIQ ministerial advisory council, told the Canberra Times there was a mix of volunteers from youth groups, the singers from the Canberra Qwire, marriage equality groups, and political parties.
“The rainbow flag and the rainbow colours are really an affirmation of the LGBTIQ community and so people are really happy to be here.
“And I’m really happy to see really young queer people really feeling proud and doing their bit.”
A week earlier, queer Canberrans and supporters celebrated in the same street. They celebrated the announcement that the ACT recorded the highest “YES” vote of any state or territory. No one beat the ACT’s 74 per cent.
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