The weekend of forums, meetings, workshops and a market stall was the start of Australian Marriage Equality’s plans to visit up to fifty electorates where the local MP may be persuaded to support marriage equality.
Advocates have hailed a weekend of marriage equality events in Geelong and Colac as a great success.
Local marriage equality advocate, Sharyn Faulkner said,
“The weekend’s events were very well-attended, a lot of local people heard the message, and we were able to directly lobby the local federal Liberal member, Sarah Henderson.”
“When Sarah Henderson asked to meet Rodney Croome at the Belmont Market it gave us confidence that she is listening. The community is hopeful she will speak in favour of marriage equality in the party room.”
“Having the AME team come to the Corangamite electorate was a great boost to the local team and helped highlight that marriage equality is very important to the electorate as a whole”
“I’m really proud that Geelong and Colac are leading the way on marriage equality.”
AME national director, Rodney Croome, said,
“Our message was simple and well-received: supporters in communities like Geelong and Colac need to write to and meet their local MP. They should also ask friends, family members and local community leaders to do the same.”
“It was great to see people from across the community come out in support. Our visit to Geelong and Colac was a great success and I’m really looking forward to our upcoming visit to Albury this coming weekend.”
National spokesperson for Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, Shelley Argent, said,
“I felt inspired seeing so many parents and grandparents getting active on marriage equality in Geelong and Colac.”
“Getting things moving in regional and rural Australia is a great way to good marriage equality back on the radar.”
In the days before the visit, the Geelong Football Club and the Geelong City Council both came out in support of marriage equality.
AME representatives will be in Albury on July 25, 26 and 27 working with local advocates to raise the profile and encourage supporters to contact Liberal Member for Farrer, Sussan Ley.
Rodney Croome and Shelley Argent attended the weekend of events together with AME deputy director, Ivan Hinton, AME Victorian director, Tim Peppard, and challenging-homophobia trainer, Daniel Witthaus.
Downloadable photos of the marriage equality stall at Geelong’s Belmont Market can be found here.
A photo of Rodney Croome, Ivan Hinton and Sharon Faulkner handing signed marriage equality postcards to Sarah Henderson MHR at the Market is attached.
For more information contact Sharyn Faulkner on 0409 558 673, Rodney Croome on 0409 010 668 or Shelley Argent on 0409 363 335.
Author: Rodney Croome
Publication: AME Media Release
Date: 21 July 2014