Hamilton Business Association renews push for rainbow crossing on Beaumont Street

Association chair Reece Hignell, who is part of next year's WorldPride event in Newcastle, wrote to deputy lord mayor Declan Clausen asking for support for a rainbow crossing by way of a council motion.

A Labor motion to Tuesday's council meeting calls for council to investigate a rainbow crossing to coincide with WorldPride or Newcastle Pride.

Mr Hignell's letter said the idea had been put forward in the past with a negative result, but felt Hamilton "has now evolved into its inclusive self".

Cr Clausen proposed the idea in 2015 when he asked council to investigate creating a rainbow crossing on a local road or public place. However it was squashed after police, RMS and council traffic experts deemed it in breach of road regulations. Cost also put later plans for a public crossing on hold.

That came after a rainbow crossing chalked outside City Hall in 2013 was swiftly removed, with then-lord mayor Jeff McCloy opposed to the installation.

Labor councillor Carol Duncan said Newcastle's overwhelming yes vote in the Marriage Equality bill in 2017 "hopefully suggests that previous issues can be overcome in a positive way, including with NSW Police and Transport for NSW".

"I understand both organisations worked with City of Sydney to reinstate the Oxford Street rainbow crossing in 2018," she said.

Cr Duncan said the recent Newcastle Pride fair day in Gregson Park was successful and associated Pride events showed "how important representation and inclusion is for everyone."

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