Auckland mayor Len Brown kicks off the 2015 Ak Pride Parade Auckland Pride Festival Inc. is to re-apply for charitable status after being turned down when it was originally being formed as a Charitable Trust. In the first part of a three-part interview with Pride, starting today, Executive Officer Linda Heavey explains that due to the organisation's main purpose being running an event, Auckland Pride was not deemed to fit the criteria for charitable status when it was first formed. Heavey has subsequently advised GayNZ.com Daily News that the Pride board "decided in June to make another application for charitable status given our kaupapa is to enhance the mana and standing of our rainbow community. The festival and parade [events] are just the vehicles we use to achieve this" "After three successful festivals there is plenty of evidence to demonstrate the difference we make to the lives of our LGBTIQ brothers and sisters." On Tuesday it was announced that a High Court judge is allowing an appeal by anti-lgbti group Family First against its de-registration as a charity, based on a precedent set in a similar case involving Greenpeace.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 2nd July 2015 - 2:13am