Around 300 people gathered at Harry Sawkins Park for a picnic and rainbow walk across Nowra Bridge organised by Marriage Equality Gilmore on Sunday.
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Jolly Ollys, a Nowra business that came out in support of marriage equality, sold out of rainbow flags before the event, and the city was a sea of colour on Sunday.
“The most incredible, uplifting part of it all was the amount of colour,” organiser Dawn Hawkins said.
“Everyone had gone and bought a flag, people were driving past and tooting in support.”
Ms Hawkins expressed her thanks to Shoalhaven mayor Amanda Findley, who was wearing a Greens marriage equality shirt she has owned for 15 years at the event.
“I am grateful to be having Amanda Findley as our mayor at a time of great social change,” Ms Hawkins said.
“She’s been amazing.”
At the park, people enjoyed entertainment by Damien Sterling and Rani Fire, and were invited to take part in a Zumba dance.
“Everyone was up and dancing together,” Ms Hawkins said.
Marriage Equality Australia chair Alex Greenwich spoke, along with the mayor, and PFLAG and ACON spokespeople.
The most incredible, uplifting part of it all was the amount of colour
- Activist Dawn Hawkins
The rain held off until the final minutes of the walk, and, driving home, a rainbow appeared in the sky.
Flags have been hanging in businesses and on fences and verandas at homes across the Shoalhaven since the postal vote was announced.
Meanwhile, Kiama MP Gareth Ward has criticised the way his federal colleagues are handling marriage equality.
“I think they should have addressed it in parliament once and for all,” he said.
“Now it’s gone to the postal vote, I will be voting yes.”
South Coast MP Shelley Hancock has taken a more conservative standpoint.
“It is a divisive topic,” she said.
“I think even if we’d gone to the vote, there’d still be inflammatory comments about people from both side of the debate.
“Now we have a postal vote, I think everyone should have a say, and not be disrespected because of their views.
“There are a lot of people who will vote no, and a lot of people who will vote yes.”
Mrs Hancock took part in the event on Sunday and said she will be voting yes.
“I wasn’t elected to step in the way of someone’s happiness,” she said.