Malcolm Turnbull ‘not welcome’ as an official guest at Sydney’s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull would not be welcome as an official guest of Sydney’s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras under a motion passed at the organisation’s annual general meeting on Saturday.

In March, Mr Turnbull became the first sitting Australian prime minister to attend the event. But activists angered by his support of a divisive plebiscite on same-sex marriage say he should not be invited in 2017.

The new governing body of the Mardi Gras organisation, led by James Brechney, approved a motion banning the prime minister from taking part in the ceremony, News Corp reports.

“The Annual General Meeting of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras does not believe that a Prime Minister who denies us equality should be welcome as an official guest at our parade,” the motion said.

“We ask the Board to act in accordance with this position and issue a public statement as it applies to the current Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and the 2017 Mardi Gras parade and does not invite him as an official guest to the parade.”

The board, together with gay activists across the country, spoke out against the plebiscite fearing it would fuel hate speech against LGBTI people.

Legislation to enable the national plebiscite was defeated 33 votes to 29, with Labor, Greens, the Nick Xenophon Team and independent Derryn Hinch opposing it in the Senate this week.

After the failure of the proposed plebiscite, Mr Turnbull also said there were ‘no plans to take immediate action on marriage equality.