As we approach the 50th anniversary of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, the stakes could not be higher.

Mardi Gras is more than a festival. It is one of the most powerful symbols of who we are: a story of resilience, protest, joy, and visibility that has shaped Australian culture for half a century. It has transformed lives, changed laws, and built community in a way few movements ever could. 

But right now, that legacy is under pressure and the very future of the festival is at risk.

Rising costs, operational challenges, and political agendas are standing in the way of the celebration our community deserves. 

The strength of our festival and the unity of our community cannot be taken for granted. And it’s falling to all of us to stand up and take action.  

We owe it to those who marched before us, and to the next generation who will carry it forward, to make sure Mardi Gras remains strong, representative, and relevant.

There’s been a lot of commentary on what that all means, but it is time to cut through the noise.

Our diverse LGBTQIA+ community needs a Board focused on the future. 

A Board with the capability, discipline, and practical solutions to meet the challenges ahead. 

This is not, and should not, be about politics. It is about ensuring that Mardi Gras remains stronger, more vibrant, more sustainable, and importantly, for everyone.

I am running because I believe in the power of Mardi Gras to bring people together, not just for one night, but all year round.

Progress and visibility do not just happen during one festival. Mardi Gras does not stop at Oxford Street. It is about connection, opportunity, and empowerment, 365 days a year.

I show up across our community, day in and day out, because I know that is where real change happens. From small business owners keeping queer spaces alive, to regional Pride organisers building visibility in their towns, to volunteers who make every event possible, these are the people who carry Mardi Gras forward.

If elected, I will work to make sure Mardi Gras always puts our diverse community first. That means a Board that listens, plans, and delivers. A Board that ensures everyone, from parade marchers to performers, patrons to partners, feels seen, valued, and welcome.

For those who do not know me, I have spent my career working across government, business, and the not-for-profit sector. 

I currently serve as President of the Pride Business Association (NSW), one of the oldest and largest LGBTQIA+ business organisations in Australia.

In that role, I lead initiatives that support small business owners, entrepreneurs, and professionals across the state. We have expanded our reach into regional NSW, built partnerships that create real economic opportunities, and strengthened the link between community and commerce through programs like Buy Rainbow and the PBA Education Fund.

I also serve on the board of the LGBTQ Domestic Violence Awareness Foundation, which works nationally to change attitudes, raise awareness, and provide resources for those experiencing abuse in our community. Through this, I have seen the power of collective effort and what happens when compassion meets structure, governance, and accountability.

Earlier in my career, I worked at the highest levels of government and on national social change campaigns including the Yes campaigns for both the Marriage Equality Plebiscite and the Indigenous Voice Referendum, gaining a deep understanding of policy, governance, and how decisions get made. That experience taught me how to navigate complexity, build consensus, and turn good ideas into real outcomes.

This mix of community leadership and professional experience is what I want to bring to the Mardi Gras Board. Because Mardi Gras, for all its creativity and colour, is also a large and complex organisation. It needs directors who can balance vision with structure, passion with planning, and community energy with strong governance.

We need people around the Board table who understand both the heart and the mechanics of our community - people who can bridge the gap between grassroots and institution, between the march and the meeting room. 

That is where I can add real value.

As we head toward the 50th anniversary, we have a chance to renew Mardi Gras’ purpose for the next generation. That means making smart, future-focused decisions.

We need to:

1. Strengthen meaningful partnerships that keep the festival financially sustainable.

2. Ensure safety, accessibility, and transparency across every event.

3. Celebrate our history while creating space for new leadership and new stories.

4. Champion inclusivity in a way that is active, not symbolic - to ensure every person feels welcome at Mardi Gras.

5. Expand engagement with regional and multicultural LGBTQIA+ communities.

A strong Mardi Gras is one where everyone’s welcome, not one that divides and excludes based on prejudices and agendas.

It is one that recognises our movement’s roots in protest and activism but also embraces what it means to be a major cultural institution in 2025 and beyond. 

That balance takes experience, judgment, and a willingness to listen and work constructively.

I believe Mardi Gras should be both a mirror and a magnet: reflecting who we are while drawing in those who still need to find their place in the community. 

Whether someone’s first Mardi Gras was in 1978, or whether they are coming for the first time next year, everyone should feel that sense of belonging and pride.

The next few years will determine the direction of Mardi Gras for the next 50. 

The way it's governed, funded, and presented to the world will shape how it continues to lead, inspire, and unify.

That is why I am putting my hand up. 

I believe we can preserve what makes Mardi Gras special while ensuring it has the structures, systems, and strategies it needs to thrive in the decades ahead.

We need a Board that works cohesively, that brings in a mix of community voices and professional expertise, and that makes decisions based on what strengthens the festival and the people that it’s there for.

Mardi Gras has always been at its best when it belongs to everyone. 

When Fair Day and the Parade are bookends to a platform for connection, art, advocacy, joy, progress and each other. 

That is the future I want to help build.

Let us make sure that as Mardi Gras turns fifty, it stands not just as a symbol of where we have been, but as a beacon of where we are going.