UniQ has threatened that it will urge its members, as well as members of GABA and GAP, to boycott Westpac unless the bank's public stance on Westpac Stadium's homophobic policy which frowns upon same-sex intimacy is changed. After two women were threatened with eviction from a cricket match in Napier for kissing, Wellington's Westpac Stadium CEO told the Dominion Post that same-sex kissing is "inappropriate" at a family-friendly event such as a cricket match. He said that Westpac Stadium would similarly instruct security guards to intervene same-sex public intimacy. UniQ Victoria then questioned Westpac's sponsorship of the Stadium, as the bank is a corporate member of GABA, and its sponsorship policy pledges to reflect diversity, and accessibility for all New Zealanders. In a letter to Westpac, UniQ Victoria President Paul Brown noted that Gray's comments "do not align themselves with (Westpac's) sponsorship policy". The letter also suggested "such a situation would not have arisen if a heterosexual couple were placed on the big screen of the Napier grounds. Should a same-sex couple kiss in any of the Westpac sponsored facilities, meant for public use, we do not feel they should be evicted." Although Westpac responded directly to UniQ with an apology and a retraction on behalf of Gray, Paul Brown says that it is "nothing but lip-service" until an official apology, retraction and clarification of Westpac's stance on the matter is made public. UniQ President Paul Brown says that the group may urge its members to boycott the bank, and even extend this notion to other LGBT and LGBT-friendly organisations unless Westpac acts.
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Friday, 13th January 2006 - 12:00pm