After 3 terms (12 years) as Perth Council Lord Mayor, Peter Nattrass, who was far from renowned as a supporter of the GLBTIQ community, is not seeking re-election. Five candidates have entered the race. OUTinPerth caught up with each to ask where they stand with the queer community.
Four of the candidates – Lisa Scaffiddi, Max Kay, William Bradbury and Neil McKinnon – answered our questions, while the fifth, Michael Sutherland, declined to comment.
What would you like to say to the Perth GLBTIQ community to win their vote?
Lisa Scaffidi: All I would like to say is, that I have so many friends who are gay and it’s not an issue for me. In this day and age we should be so past whether people or gay straight or asexual, it has no issue in the 21st century to my mind. Also, in regards to ongoing funding of the Pride Parade I would be fully supportive of that. I’m also keen to actually see in a city the size of Perth more gay venues opening up, particularly with the small bar licenses, some small bars that are relevant to the gay community.
Neil McKinnon: Perth is a city for everyone and it’s not the province of the council or any other such body to make selective decisions for any community group. It’s a city for all.
Max Kay: I believe very much in diversity. Everyone is entitled to do what they want to do. I think they are a very important part of our community. They are particularly a really important part of the cultural and the art community, and they are well supported by me. I think I have shown that in the past by things I have done. Bearing in mind, that having the theatre restaurant I have always been very supportive – I have employed half of the gay community at one time or another!
William Bradbury: The Perth gay community know that I have written letters supporting them over the last 10 years, and my support for them will not waver. I wrote a letter last week to OUTinPerth. I have always emphasised that the Perth festival [Pride] has never been any trouble and the power of the ‘pink’ dollar has been underestimated by business people for so long.
What have you done to show you support the gay community?
Lisa Scaffidi: I have always been a positive vote for the Pride Parade. I have also recently put in a letter of support to assist for Bree Maddox in getting an extended trading permit for Court Hotel, which they are aiming to get because my understanding is that when the Court Hotel closes a lot of people want to kick on at Connections, but at those am hours Connections is already full. So, a lot of patrons are literally displaced with no other gay friendly venue to go in the city. Thus what I was saying about having more gay venues around the CBD.
Neil McKinnon: Nothing because I’ve never been aware of it.
Max Kay: As an elected member, I was responsible for getting them the three year funding, twice now that they have for the Pride parade. I’ve been very supportive of everything they have done there, particularly for the Pride parade… I have been very supportive. I have so employed so many gay people. I could almost say that I couldn’t have run my business without the help of the gay community.
William Bradbury: I don’t stand by and watch discrimination. That’s part of my letter writing. I’m down on the homophobic. I have always supported the gay community… The thing is that if I make a friend, I don’t ask them if they’re gay. I don’t ask them, if they’re Catholic. A friend is a friend without any preconditions… One of the things I have always advocated was [against] the violence in Perth – remember when there was a lot of violence on that walkway from the Court to Northbridge – it was only allowed to go on and get to the extent it did get to at one time because it was gays being bashed. If it had been anyone else in the community, they would have been on to it like a ton of bricks.
Ballots for the Perth Council Lord Mayor election will be mailed out Wednesday September 26, and voting closes on October 20th. For further information see http://www.dlgrd.wa.gov.au/LocalGovt/Elections/
Megan Smith and Craig Comrie
