Two current Mardi Gras board directors have claimed they were locked out of their official email accounts by the organisation.
Luna Choo and Damien Nguyen, both aligned with Pride in Protest, say their official Mardi Gras email accounts were locked by the organisation.
They claim this occurred “minutes after” they voiced support for the trans rights motion.
Pride in Protest emailed media organisations earlier today, providing emails they say show the two directors were locked out.
In emails seen by Gay Sydney Daily, Damien Nguyen used his official Mardi Gras email account on Friday, January 16, to respond to a Mardi Gras member who was calling on the organisation to update the community on the status of the trans rights motion passed at last year’s AGM.
In his response, Nguyen said, “I cannot speak on behalf of the board, and so this response is made in an individual capacity.”
He then went on to agree that it was clear the community “wants a pro-trans Mardi Gras that speaks up for our rights.”
A few days later, on Tuesday, January 13, the board updated Mardi Gras members, saying it would not implement three motions passed at the AGM due to “Mardi Gras values, strategic priorities, and long-term sustainability.”
However, Nguyen alleges that his email accounts were closed to him prior to that Tuesday update.
In another email seen by GSD, Nguyen, using a non–Mardi Gras email account, responded to a community member earlier this morning regarding the board’s decision.
“We’re sure that many more have written and/or are writing to us and other board directors right now,” the email reads.
“However, we cannot see any more of your messages at the moment. This is due to the fact that our emails, our formal access to communicating with you and other board members, have completely been stripped from us. Our Mardi Gras accounts have been unjustly locked just minutes after our last response to you.”
However, this only demonstrates that Nguyen sent an email from a different account, not that his official Mardi Gras email accounts were locked.
Despite requests, no video or photographic evidence of the accounts being locked was provided to GSD.
Mardi Gras told GSD it would not engage in public commentary on internal matters or speculation.
“Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras will not engage in public commentary on internal matters relating to the board. We will also not respond to speculation or unauthorised disclosures.”
