Neither the NZ AIDS Foundation nor the Auckland University of Technology are aware of any approach from the Auckland Pride Festival Board asking if it is feasible for Department of Corrections staff to march with those organisations' staff in the forthcoming Auckland Pride Parade. Department of Corrections staff march in the 2015 Auckland Pride Parade On Wednesday Auckland Pride confirmed that it had asked Corrections, which has controversially marched in the last two parades, to withdraw their departmental application to join this year's parade. The Pride board said it does not believe the Department has made sufficient progress towards ensuring the safety and appropriate treatment of transgender prisoners. Pride also referenced a damning Ombudsman's report into transgender prisoner safety released late last year. Pride had already advised Corrections, in a letter sent late last year asking them to withdraw their Departmental participation application, that its individual staff "would be welcome to march with either [the] NZAF or with the Auckland University of Technology team." However, both the NZAF and AUT say they are unaware of any approach from Pride, or from Corrections, regarding any possibility of Corrections staff joining their parade teams.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Friday, 3rd February 2017 - 9:59am