As Pride Month begins, the Victorian Pride Centre is proud to announce the Hon. Michael Kirby AC CMG as Organisational Patron.
As a long-standing jurist, academic and former Judge of the High Court of Australia, Mr Kirby enjoys national standing as an international human rights advocate and an openly gay man.
The role of the Organisational Patron and Ambassadors is to raise the profile of the Victorian Pride Centre amongst the LGBTIQ community and the general population in Australia and internationally. The Pride Centre’s Eleven Ambassadors have come on board to date and represent diversity within our community.
The Organisation Ambassadors are:
• Benjamin Law, writer and broadcaster
• Brook Andrew, Wiradjuri/Celtic contemporary artist and artistic director
• Courtney Act, Boy, Girl. Artist and Advocate
• Danielle (Danni) Roche OAM Olympic Gold Medallist Hockeyroos, Director St.Kilda Football Club, Chair national Australia Day Council, Trustee State Sports Centre Trust of Victoria
• Jason Ball, LGBTIQ and mental health advocate
• Julie McCrossin AM, freelance journalist, broadcaster and MC
• Nevo Zisin, Jewish, queer, non-binary writer, performer, activist and public speaker
• Tony Ayres, award-winning Australian show runner, writer and director.
• Tony Briffa, LGBTIQ human rights advocate and educator, intersex, queer, former Mayor and public speaker
• Robyn Archer AO FAHA, singer, writer, artistic director and public advocate for the arts
• Rhonda Galbally AC, disability advocate and former CEO
• Zoe Coombs Marr, performer, writer, artist and comedian
Due to physical distancing measures many of the Pride Centre’s Organisational Patron and Ambassadors shared their reasons for coming on board via at home messages. These will be shared over the month of June.
In addition to the Ambassadors, the Pride Centre will be acknowledging and highlighting the groups and individuals that have supported the Centre’s development, including the members of their Community Reference Group, committees, working groups, volunteers, financial patrons, Cornerstone Supporters, Pride Club members and Founders Fund investors.
The visually stunning and iconic Pride Centre, due to open in late 2020, located on Fitzroy St, St Kilda will be a vibrant community hub. It will be a beacon of hope and inclusion to all Australians and beyond. Through an integrated and multi-faceted approach, the Pride Centre will provide local, national and international visitors with access to technology, resources, essential health and social services, social connection and shared learning opportunities.
The Hon. Michael Kirby AC CMG
“I am excited to be involved with the Victorian Pride Centre (VPC) as Pride Organisation Patron. I congratulate VPC on creating a hub and a focus for LGBTIQ people in Melbourne, Victoria and Australia. Its potential to give leadership to the community in Victoria and to create links throughout Australia, is enormous.”
