Bill Shorten says Labor will get tough on gay conversion therapy

He may have been stood up by a group of drag queens, but it didn’t stop Bill Shorten making a special announcement to win over gay voters.

Bill Shorten may have been stood up by drag queens, but it didn’t wipe the smile from his face as he descended on Sydney’s LGBTQI capital for a special announcement.

After being mobbed by fans, the man who may be the most powerful man in Australia in May, told news.com.au he planned to crack down on gay conversion therapy and be the first Aussie leader to complete the full Mardi Gras march.

The federal Labor leader was supposed to meet with a group of drag queens for a photoshoot on Oxford St’s striking Rainbow Crossing ahead of tomorrow’s Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade, but news.com.au was regretfully informed “they couldn’t make it”.

However, Mr Shorten, a regular at the world-famous street parade, patted dalmatians adorned with rainbow accessories and struck poses for fans who politely requested selfies before showering the glittering event with praise.

“I love Mardi Gras, it’s one of the best times of the year,” he said. “We live in Melbourne, but my family and I have come up for the last three years.

“It’s a real outpouring of community and recognition of diversity. Of course, 41 years ago the first marchers were harassed and mistreated by the authorities, so it shows how far we’ve come.

Bill Shorten, here with Tanya Plibersek, says he will be the first Australian prime minister to complete the Mardi Gras march if he wins the next election. Picture: news.com.au

However, he said there were still plenty more issues to solve in order to provide “real equality for all Australians”.

“Despite the progress we’ve made, I still am staggered that people in Australia think it’s acceptable to have gay conversion therapy,” he said. “I think that’s superstition masquerading as science.”

Mr Shorten added there was a lot more the Federal Government could do to eradicate HIV.

He said if he was elected, he promised to be the first Australian prime minister to do the full Mardi Gras march alongside his deputy Tanya Plibersek.

Tomorrow, the NSW Government will relax controversial lockout laws, meaning many of Sydney’s prominent gay watering holes such as Stonewall Hotel, Kinselas, ARQ and Cliff Dive will be permitted to admit patrons beyond the usual lockout times of 1.30am.

The drag queens stood Mr Shorten up, but his fans were out in force. Picture: news.com.au

“The last thing Sydney needs is someone from Melbourne giving them a lecture,” Mr Shorten said.

“In Melbourne, though, we have a vibrant night life and I think there’s a lot to be said for it.”

However, Mr Shorten said he understood the need for measures to ease the burden of excessive drinking and violence on Sydney’s emergency services.

“Of course the medical experts and the police see some of the problems when excesses of alcohol abuse and violence occur,” he said. “It’s a matter of getting it right.

“I’m not going to give Sydney a lecture. I love coming to Sydney.”

Ms Plibersek agreed, saying it is vital for Sydney to strike the right balance — hinting that the current approach wasn’t working.

“There has to be a way to be a way of keeping Sydney open and reducing the harm of excessive alcohol,” she said.

As Sydney gears up for tomorrow’s parade, the organisation that runs it received a letter from state Premier Gladys Berejiklian confirming the Government’s support and $200,000 to help develop a bid to host WorldPride 2023.

Mr Shorten said Labor would crack down on gay conversion therapy. Picture: news.com.au

WorldPride is a biennial event that includes parades, festivals and other cultural activities.

It was first hosted in Rome in 2000 and will take place in New York in 2019 and Copenhagen in 2021.

Sydney Mardi Gras is a member of InterPride, the international association of pride organisations that runs WorldPride.

The mega festival has never been hosted in the southern hemisphere. Australia’s will propose hosting WorldPride within the existing two-week footprint of the annual Sydney Mardi Gras festival.

The first week would be dedicated to Mardi Gras and the second week to WorldPride — including a human rights conference.

“This is an exciting opportunity for Sydney and NSW to host yet another world-class event that has the potential to attract thousands of visitors to the city and make a significant economic and cultural impact,” Mardi Gras CEO Terese Casu said.

“This event would not only boost the international profile of the Mardi Gras festival, it would also showcase the iconic surrounds of Sydney and NSW as a premier tourist destination.”

Sydney’s bid will be presented at the InterPride annual general meeting in Copenhagen in October.