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Anthony Albanese has copped criticism for wearing jeans and a t-shirt to Sydney‘s Mardi Gras parade as he becomes the first Prime Minister to march.
Mr Albanese led the Rainbow Labor float at the iconic parade on Saturday, as the event returned to Oxford Street after two years away during the pandemic.
The Labor leader was joined by Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek and NSW Opposition Leader Chris Minns as he made his way down the inner-city route.
However, the prime minister stuck out like a sore thumb among the other colourful and bejewelled attendees, as he opted for a casual shirt and jeans combo.
The prime minister stuck out like a sore thumb among festival-goers, as he opted for a casual shirt and jeans combo (he is pictured being interviewed during the parade)
Anthony Albanese (pictured with his partner Jodie Haydon) became the first Australian Prime Minister to attend Sydney’s Mardi Gras parade in conjunction with WorldPride 2023
Sydney Morning Herald reporter Amber Schultz shared a video of the leader arriving at the parade, but poked fun at his low-key ensemble.
‘Albo has arrived at Mardi Gras with a disappointing lack of glitter, sequins or fabulousness,’ she tweeted on Saturday night.
‘Cool to have the first PM march but what a missed opportunity to slay in some eyeshadow.’
Though Mr Albanese ignored the opportunity for a bit of glitz and glamour, his partner Jodie Haydon was happy to indulge, sporting a snazzy silver blazer.
Ahead of the parade, the PM warned Australians not to expect too much from him.
‘I won’t try and compete in the fashion stakes,’ Mr Albanese said.
‘Pride is something that we should be proud of, that Australia is moving towards a more and more equal community where everyone is respected, no matter who they love.’
Though Mr Albanese ignored the opportunity for a bit of glitz and glamour, his partner Jodie Haydon was happy to indulge, sporting a snazzy silver sequined blazer
Ahead of the parade, the PM warned Australians not to expect too much for him
It’s not the first time he marched in the parade, with Mr Albanese having taken part in 1983, five years after Mardi Gras’ inception as a gay rights protest
Mr Albanese said partygoers needed to pay tribute to the 78ers, the Mardi Gras’ first marchers
Hairy chests and oiled stomachs were on full display as revellers partied the night away
It’s not the first time he has marched in the parade, with Mr Albanese having taken part in 1983, five years after Mardi Gras’ inception as a gay rights protest.
‘It’s unfortunate that I am the first (prime minister to march), but this is a celebration of modern Australia. We’re a diverse, inclusive Australia and that’s a good thing,’ he told the ABC as waved at the crowd.
‘People want to see that their government is inclusive and represents everyone, no matter who they love, no matter what their identity, no matter where they live. We need to be a country that respects everyone for who they are.’
Mr Albanese said partygoers needed to pay tribute to the 78ers, the Mardi Gras’ first marchers, ‘who were thrown in jail for the simple fact of who they were because they happened to be gay of lesbian’.
‘We need to continue to argue for equality.’
Lidia Thorpe confronted police officers marching at Mardi Gras on Saturday night as thousands of scantily revellers partied well into the night
Pictures show the senator for Victoria jumping into the parade route and standing in front of an officer
Elsewhere, Lidia Thorpe confronted police officers marching at Mardi Gras on Saturday night as thousands of scantily revellers partied well into the night.
Pictures show the former Greens Senator jumping into the parade route and confronting a police officer before allegedly shouting ‘f*** the police’.
Senator Thorpe suddenly crashed the police section of the parade and repeatedly yelled her slogan in their faces, witnesses at the scene have claimed.
One reveller told Daily Mail Australia: ‘She came out of nowhere, it took a few seconds for us to realise what was going on.
‘I don’t know how she got into the parade but she ran after the cops as they marched screaming “f**k the police” at them and towards the crowd.
One group appeared to dress as the Sydney Opera house in blue and white complete with sails
Participants take part in the 45th annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade on Oxford Stret opted for blue and purple colours
‘She really got in their faces when she caught up, like inches away. Not what we expected to see tonight.
‘Pride is supposed to be about unity but she was the only one there making it about something else. Shocking, really’.
Thousands of scantily-clad revellers dressed in lingerie, budgie smugglers and leotards partied well into the night as celebrations continued in bars and clubs.
Colourful revellers wrapped in rainbows and sparkling in sequins made a pilgrimage to the queer community’s spiritual home as the celebration returns to Oxford Street after two years away during the pandemic.
Sydney’s Oxford Street is awash with glitter after 300,000 partygoers celebrated the crown jewel of the WorldPride program, which Australia hosted for the first time.
The event follows a blockbuster WorldPride opening concert in the Domain on Friday night, when Kylie Minogue headlined in a performance that included a surprise cameo from her sister Dannii.
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