City of Sydney Labor will celebrate our vibrant LGBTIQA+ community

Linda Scott and Labor understand and celebrate the dynamic and diverse nature of our City of Sydney. In doing so, Linda and Labor acknowledge and recognise the integral role we play in supporting our LGBTIQA+ community, who, provide a vibrancy and zest for life that deserves to be promoted and celebrated by our council.

Stemming from our long-standing history with the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, the City of Sydney has always been a vibrant and diverse place with a myriad of different histories and stories from our LGBTIQA+ community.

If elected, Linda and Labor will ensure that these voices are heard and these histories are told in our community.

Since becoming a City of Sydney Councillor in 2012, Linda Scott has always stood as a strong ally and progressive voice to Sydney’s LGTIQA+ community on the. If elected as Lord Mayor of Sydney, Linda Scott will have an even greater platform to continue to promote and support the LGBTIQA+ community within our City.

If elected Linda Scott and Labor are committed not just to supporting our LGBTIQA+ community but to revitalizing historic Oxford Street. Linda and Labor will revitalise Taylor’s Square, Whitlam Square and Three Saints Square in their first term of Council, so these significant locations along our historic Oxford Street are preserved and vibrant for the future.

LGBTIQA+ queer space

As a Councillor, Linda proposed the creation of an LGTBIQA+ queer space celebrating and memorialising Sydney’s queer history. Labor understands the inextricable link our City has to our LGBTIQA+ community. Accordingly, Linda and Labor will prioritise the development of this museum as a space to remember LGTBIQA+ history and acknowledge the community that has played such an integral role in the success of our vibrant City. This space would provide a safe space for queer people and a powerful platform for embedding the values of memory, education, and celebration into our wider City of Sydney community and beyond.

Linda Scott has fought for this space since the 2016 City of Sydney elections. Linda has demonstrated her ongoing willingness to fight as an ally LGBTIQA+ community.

 Bring back Oxford street:

If elected, City of Sydney Labor promises to resurrect Oxford Street and restore it as a thriving economic, social and cultural hub for the City of Sydney Community. Oxford Street runs through diverse and different communities and any plan to revitalize the street should take into account the needs of the different communities that live along and around the street.

The City of Sydney precinct deserves to flourish and thrive, not merely survive. If elected, Labor will hold a community action forum within the first 100 days in office. This forum will offer members of our community a powerful opportunity to come forward and provide valuable insight and discussion into how we can revitalise Oxford Street.

We aim to reignite the flame of Oxford Street Darlinghurst to its former glory as an LGBTIQA+ hub. Not only is Oxford Street one of the cultural heartbeats of Sydney and a safe space for our LGBTIQA+ community, but each year during Sydney Mardi Gras Parade it is a hub for entertainment and economic activity. City of Sydney Labor sees and values Oxford Street's potential and cultural significance to our City. Oxford Street should be a place oozing with vibrancy and activity every day, not just once a year.

Increase funding for Mardi Gras & grant programs – support for rainbow families activities:

Linda Scott and Labor support Sydney Mardi Gras’ and Sydney WorldPride’s joint hosting of Sydney World Pride in 2023, the first global LGBTQI+ pride festival in the Southern Hemisphere, and respect the theme for the festival, GATHER, DREAM, AMPLIFY.

City of Sydney Labor will investigate increasing funding for Mardi Gras and other grant programs for the LGBTIQA+ community-led events increased. City of Sydney Labor understands how integral these events are for not only the LGBTIQA+ community but for our entire City, and will fight for ongoing support.

City of Sydney Labor sees supporting Rainbow Families as a priority for the future. Linda and Labor will investigate providing Rainbow Families with free use of City spaces to hold playgroups and investigate funding options for their social outreach programs, including their Youth Advisory Council. City support for Rainbow Families will better equipped them to run the programs helping our City of Sydney residents thrive and flourish.

Installation of Rainbow crossing in Newtown:

Newtown is another key centre for the LGBTQIA+ community in the City of Sydney that  should be supported. City of Sydney Labor will investigate installing a rainbow crossing in Newtown to celebrate the suburbs importance to the LGBTQIA+ community. Linda Scott and Labor acknowledge the influence and presence of our LGBTIQA+ community exist beyond the boundaries of Oxford Street. Accordingly, we want to embed this throughout our City, making Newtown a perfect location to launch such a vivid installation of equality and acceptance.

Rejuvenating and reviving of the Arts

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused new economic, social and cultural challenges to the City of Sydney. Linda Scott and Labor are committed to tackling the issues caused by COVID-19 so our City can thrive for the future. Central to this plan will be providing special creative precincts, Sydney Creatives Showcases, a Lord Mayor’s Creative Council, permanent public art and performance spaces, and promoting greater diversity on creative panels inclusive of our LGBTIQA+ community.  

The arts and our LGBTIQA+ community are closely connected. City of Sydney Labor recognises the absolute importance of the arts sector and the valuable contributions made to the arts by queer and gender diverse artists. Linda and Labor want to see the LGBTIQA+ community thrive through the arts to continue making a positive impact within our local community.

Standing up against hate

As Councillor, Linda Scott has consistently stood up against those who seek to denigrate and vilify our LGBTIQA+ community with homophobia and transphobia. Earlier this year, she successfully moved a motion on council opposing Mark Latham’s vile legislation attacking transgender students and teachers. 

Linda and Labor are commit to being the strongest possible voice against hate in all levels of government.