Kirsten Sibbit Auckland Pride is about to open its membership up to anyone in the glbt communities, after four years of having a closed, hand-picked membership. From its inception Auckland Pride was a somewhat closed-shop operation with the board inviting a group of gay people to become their legally required membership, a group they called 'consulting members.' However, it transpired through a GayNZ.com Daily News investigation into discontent with the management of Auckland Pride two years ago that the organisation's board rarely if ever consulted in any depth with those members. At its July AGM Auckland Pride is expected to formally put in place constitutional changes opening up the membership, says Kirsten Sibbit who has been a board member for approximately a year. "Many people have a passion for Pride and we want to give them then opportunity to be involved in this way," Sibbit says. "We're never going to succeed without the community's full engagement." She says there will be several structure levels of membership and a membership fee. Membership is expected to confer as yet unannounced rights and benefits. Much of the groundwork regarding open membership will be covered at the AGM and the new arrangement is expected to be operational in time for the 2017 Auckland Pride Festival early next year.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 2nd June 2016 - 3:04pm