Louise Pratt (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to celebrate the success of the inaugural Kimberley Blak Pride festival, held on the lands of the Djukan and Yawuru people in Broome, Western Australia. It took place from 26 April to 4 May, and it began with a parade that made history as it marched through the streets of Broome, led by the Yawuru traditional owners. I was so honoured to march alongside and behind festival founder and coordinator local Yawuru man Tony Lee, and I pay tribute to him today.

The festival is a legacy of work done at Sydney World Pride last year that really did a lot of global, leading work to celebrate the cultural diversity and rights of LGBTIQ+ people who are also part of first nations communities around the world. It was wonderful to see that celebration and that cultural strength brought forth in the Kimberley town of Broome.

The festival really reached and brought people right throughout the Kimberley, the north-west, Perth and even nationally. It brought together cultural and social events showcasing the talent and leadership of local LGBTIQ+ First Nations people in the region. We heard stories of discrimination and bullying but, equally importantly, of visibility, cultural strength and strength in identity. The festival provided a really important platform for people celebrating their identity and whole self. May there be many more.