John Carey, the member for Perth and government frontbencher, has slammed a decision from Pride WA to ban signs critical of Liberal leader Libby Mettam and Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas.
Zempilas is running as the Liberal candidate for the seat of Churchlands, while retaining his role as Lord Mayor of Perth. The City of Perth is one of Pride WA’s major funding partners.
In a statement posted on social media Carey said he was shocked that Pride WA had order the WA Labor party to remove signage from their float that criticised both Mettam and Zempalis.
“Last night Pride WA censored the WA Labor/Rainbow Labor as part of the Pride parade instructing us to remove signage which criticised the WA Liberals on their anti LGBTQAI + commitments and for closing a woman’s shelter.
“This is an extraordinary position by the Pride WA Board to take given the history of Pride marches.”
“Pride marches are built on a history of political activism and protest, freedom of expression and advancing the rights of LGBTQAI+ community.” John Carey said.
WA police reportedly approached the group and ordered that their signs be taken down.
“Police were approached and informed by Pride WA that WA Labor was breaching the agreed conditions of the march participation, despite no rules prescribing any limit on political messaging to enter the parade.”
John Carey said the police were only doing what they instructed by Pride WA, and a board member had later confessed that the LGBTIQA+ group feared losing the essential funding from the city.
“I have a great working relationship and respect Perth Police – they were just doing their job by asking us to remove the signage and were highly professional and good to deal with.
“The real reason behind the censorship became clear when a Pride WA leader told a member of WA Labor they feared losing City of Perth funding.” Carey said.
In a separate comment on social media Carey alleged a Perth City Councilor has boasted that they’d ensured that the Labor float was placed a long way down the list of floats in the record breaking parade that featured over 100 different groups and organisations.
“A City of Perth councillor was crowing last night how they had ensured WA Labor was right up the back of the parade – despite councillors having no role in operations matters or sponsorship events.” Carey said. Â
When the Labor team worked their way down James Street they were hit by a counter protest when two people stood in front of their contingent holding up the Palestinian flag.
Similar requests to remove political signage were made allegedly made at Fairday
It’s not the first time Pride WA have allegedly raised concern about the Labor party’s messaging around Zempalis.
At Pride Fairday last weekend volunteers on the WA Labor stall told OUTinPerth that officials from Pride WA had asked them to remove signs that criticised a decision from the Perth Council to close a women’s shelter. The signs were not taken down.
OUTinPerth approached John Carey’s office regarding this incident last week but did not receive a response.
In his social media post this morning John Carey said the incident as Fairday arose after complaints by members of the Liberal party. He said that a Pride WA board member confirmed that the complaint was also made by the City of Perth.
“This is a complete failure of the leadership by Pride WA and a complete betrayal of the history and principals of Pride.
“It should also concern everyone in our community that Pride WA has agreed to a sponsorship agreement with City of Perth that enables political interference and censorship of messages by the Lord Mayor and the City.
“Further for Pride WA to instigate police action to censor expression, given the history of PRIDE marches is beyond out of touch and should be resoundingly condemned by everyone in our community.
“I am deeply saddened by the decision making of the Pride WA which has fully compromised the integrity of the march and what it has always stood for.” Carey said.
The incident with the Labor party float is not the only time police and pride WA appear to have made a ruling on what signage could be seen in the parade.
OUTinPerth has seen a video where police officers appear to threaten a group of participants with move-on notices unless they removed a sign that was critical of police and major resources companies marching in the parade.
OUTinPerth has reached out to Pride WA, WA Police, the City of Perth, Libby Mettam and Basil Zempilas for comment.
