Rainbow colours beamed from faces and floats parading through Sydney Saturday as hundreds of thousands of partygoers celebrated 40 years of the annual gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. Organisers predicted close to half a million people would witness the glittery spectacle as some 200 floats and 12,500 participants — including police, politicians, indigenous groups and celebrities — made their way down Oxford Street, Sydney’s Gay… (more…)
Tag: Sydney News
Get the latest LGBT+ Sydney news from THEGAYUK. Breaking news, features and interviews from the gay community in Sydney, NSW, Austraila.
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Sydney’s Mardi Gras turns a colourful 40
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Sydney’s Mardi Gras: colourful pride born from a night of violence<
Forty years ago a group of gay and lesbian activists took to the Sydney streets for a night of celebration following a day of political protest, but police intervened, brutally beating dozens of partygoers. (more…)
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ACID Lube Man spared jail
The man who tried putting ACID into lube dispensers at a gay sex club in Sydney has been spared jail.
The man who tried to put hydrochloric acid into lube dispensers at a gay club in Sydney earlier this year has been spared jail. The man, Hengky Irawan, 62, has been handed a ‘good behaviour bond’ instead.
Owners at the Aarows in Rydalmere were alerted to the actions of Irawan after a detection system fitted to the dispensers drew attention to the tampering.
Despite the fact that the acid would have caused tremendous injuries had someone used tampered lube, the man, who was described as having a mental illness by his defence, has been handed a ‘good behaviour bond’, meaning that he was spared jail time.
The Magistrates failed to see the crime as a hate crime.
Magistrate Beverley Schurr said,
‘It was directed towards patrons at the nightclub because he felt aggrieved about being kicked out earlier in the year.
‘It was ‘not about their sexual orientation [it was because he was] angry about being excluded himself.’
The court heard how he was kicked out of the club earlier in the year.
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Man accused of pouring ACID into gay club’s lube dispenser appears in court
A man who was arrested after allegedly pouring highly corrosive ACID into a lube dispenser at a gay club in Sydney, Australia has appeared in court.
CREDIT: THEGAYUKHengky Irawan, 62, from Mortdale appeared in Parramatta Local Court yesterday after he was arrested for tampering with a gay club’s lubricant dispenser. He was charged with administering poison intended to injure or cause distress or pain, as well as entering a building with intent to commit an indictable offence and malicious damage.
After his initial arrest a month ago, he was granted conditional bail after it emerged that he allegedly tried to replace anal lubricant with hydrochloric acid.
Hydrochloric acid is a clear, highly corrosive acid which if comes into contact with skin can cause irreparable damage with a corrosive effect.
The club had installed security sensors on its dispensers which is how Irawan was apprehended by the club’s security personnel.
The defendant’s laywer asked the court for a 6 week adjournment so that Irawan undergo a psychiatric assessment, which was granted.
The case will continue on the 1st of November.
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Muriel’s Wedding To Be Made Into Stage Show
That’s right folks, “You can’t stop progress” as Muriel’s Wedding is to be made into a new musical stage show adapted to stage by, “What a coincidence”, it’s the original film’s writer and director PJ Hogan.
© Sydney Theatre Company / Global Creatures The show will feature all those much loved ABBA numbers whilst both the script and Muriel herself will be re-set in 2017. Will marriage be easier to find in this new world of social media and app dating?
Speaking to AussieTheatre.com.au PJ Hogan said, “I’ve been asked many times to put Muriel’s Wedding on stage and I’ve always said no – mainly because the film seemed to do what I wanted it to do, and has somehow resisted the obscurity that time and changing fashions are apt to visit upon everything and everyone. So why tempt fate and invite Muriel (and a singing Muriel, at that) to cavort in 2017?
“Back in 1994 Muriel had a problem that seemed peculiar to her… how do you become famous (that is loved/admired/envied by all) when you have no discernible talent, no achievements, and when no one believes in you except you? The new millennium has provided the tools for dreamers afflicted by obscurity: Twitter, FaceBook, Instagram, You Tube, not to mention that Hogwarts for the irrelevant, Reality TV.
“Muriel was born to be a Millennial. So a Millennial she has become. Who sings.”
Sadly the tickets prices may be a little ‘sky-high’ for us Brits as the world premier takes place at the Roslyn Packer Theatre, Sydney, Australia. Though fingers are crossed for a speedy export to the UK.
If you are travelling out there next year from the 20th Nov – 30th Dec 2017, then you can pre-book tickets at: SydneyTheatre.com.au
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Man out on bail after allegedly trying to swap lube for ACID in Sydney gay club
A man is on conditional bail after allegedly trying to swap lubricant for hydrochloric ACID at a gay club in Sydney, Australia.
© sakkmesterke | Depositphotos A 62-year-old man has been arrested and released on conditional bail after it emerged that he allegedly tried to replace anal lubricant with hydrochloric acid in a gay club in Sydney Australia. The man set of an alarm after he tampered with one of the lubricant dispensers.
Security personnel held the man until police were able to attend the club where he was arrested and charged with administering a poison with intent to injure.
Hydrochloric acid is a clear, highly corrosive acid which if comes into contact with skin can cause irreparable damage with a corrosive effect.
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Man Killed In Sydney Siege Leaves Behind Partner Of 14 Years
The man who has been hailed a hero, after being killed after he grabbed the gun of terrorist Man Haron Monis has been named as Tori Johnson.
Mr Johnson, 34, was the manager at the cafe in Sydney when self-styled Muslim cleric Man Haron Monis took 17 staff and patrons hostage during a 16-hour siege over the weekend. The lone gunman was eventually killed after a sustained gun fight. It is believed that Mr Johnson, who had worked at the cafe since October 2012, tried to overpower the gunman to protect staff and customers.
The horrific ordeal began at 9:45 AM, when police were notified and called to Lindt Chocolat Cafe in Sydney’s Martin Place in the central business district. The siege eventually ended at 2:10 AM when commandos stormed the cafe. The exact sequence of events inside the building is not clear.
Mr Johnson had been in a long-term relationship with his partner of 14 years – Mr Thomas Zinn, who is currently being looked after by Mr Johnson’s family. A statement from the family have said via a journalist Ben Fordham,
“We are so proud of our beautiful boy Tori, gone from this earth but forever in our memories as the most amazing life partner, son and brother we could ever wish for.
“We feel heartfelt sorrow for the family of Katrina Dawson.
“We’d like to thank not only our friends and loved ones for their support, but the people of Sydney; Australia and those around the world for reaching out with their thoughts and prayers.
“Our deepest gratitude to the NSW police, armed forces and paramedics for their tireless efforts.
“We ask that the media respects our privacy in this difficult time.
“Let us all pray for peace on earth.”
A former colleague Peter Manettas said Mr Johnson was,
“a very selfless manager… he put his staff first in everything that he did.”
A co-worker, and mother of three Katrina Dawson, 38 also died.