There have been suggestions that Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull may become the first sitting Prime Minister to attend the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.
Conservative MPs within the coalition are reported to be fuming at the suggestion that the Prime Minister may attend the event.
One MP has told 7 News that it would be “a dangerous thing” for the Prime Minister to attend Mardi Gras. The MP does not expand upon what kind of danger the PM may face and declined to be publicly identified.
A second member of the PM’s team is reported to be outraged that Mr Turnbull would consider attending the event, which is held in the PM’s Wentworth electorate. The colleague even expresses alarm that Mr Turnbull has attended in the past telling 7 News; “He shouldn’t have been there in the past let alone now.”
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has said that if he was in the top job he’d happily go along to the annual LGBTIQ+ celebration, and he’d take his family with him.
Government sources have said is unlikely that the Prime Minister will be able to attend the event as he is scheduled to be in rural NSW on March 5th and 6th. They have not however ruled out the Prime minister’s availability for other key Mardi Gras events held during the month long celebration.
Mr Turnbull has contributed a welcome message to the official Mardi Gras guide,an invitation that his predecessor Tony Abbott declined on multiple occasions. In his written piece, Mr Turnbull said the Mardi Gras was a celebration of diversity.
Given that marriage equality is shaping up to be a major topic at the next election, conservative MPs within the coalition’s ranks will not be happy to see the pro-marriage equality PM making history at an LGBTIQ+ event.
It wouldn’t be wise for MalT to wear sequined Speedos to Mardi Gras in an election year (for many reasons) https://t.co/rcsAHUc4sn
— Duke of Darlo Road (@peter124u) January 15, 2016
Bigotted right wing Libs gay-haters & inheritors of past persecution condemn Turnbull 4 Mardi Gras attendance https://t.co/otIdLyZV81
— Hinton Lowe (@hilojo) January 15, 2016
Figures that the Hard Right part of the Liberals would be off the record regarding Turnbull & @sydneymardigras… https://t.co/dvIKxgBAaK
— Kate Doak (@katedoak) January 16, 2016
@ExSydney @Yahoo7 Shows Turnbull’s morals & voter support base
— Clutchy (@clutchy25) January 16, 2016
I THINK WE SHOULD JUDGE HIM IF HE DOESNT ! Turnbull could be the first sitting prime minister to attend Mardi Gras – https://t.co/D4hBfxxl7B
— Boy from Oz (@boyfmoz) January 15, 2016
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