Stewart Perrie
A specific group of Christians is horrified that Anthony Albanese will be the first sitting Australian Prime Minister to march in Sydney's Mardi Gras parade.
The annual event sees hundreds of people march up Oxford and Flinders Street while showcasing many elements and parts of the LGBTQIA+ community.
While the march has been held at the Sydney Cricket Ground for the past two years, it will be returning to its home as World Pride takes over Sydney for nearly three weeks.
Anthony Albanese made the huge claim last week when he revealed he would take part in the parade.
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He will become the first person in the top job to take part in the parade when it kicks off this Saturday on February 25.
FamilyVoice Australia, a group that 'upholds Christian values and the family', isn't one bit happy about this.
They are big on the whole 'marriage is between a man and a woman' concept, so a sitting Prime Minister showing their support to an LGBTQIA+ event has left them seething.
FamilyVoice spokesman David d’Lima said in a statement: "We are deeply concerned that Prime Minister Albanese plans to march in the LGBTQIA+ Mardi Gras on Saturday evening - the first time a sitting PM has given such thorough endorsement to the queer agenda.
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“The PM should forget the hedonistic Mardi Gras and concentrate on the national economy and bring safety to Alice Springs. “The violence in Central Australia and the financial pressure on families all over the nation must surely provide higher priorities for the PM.”
FamilyVoice Australia says gay marriage goes against the Bible and 'conflicts with our true identity in Christ'.
However, it seems like Albanese is pretty stoked to be involved with World Pride this year.
He will march alongside Foreign Minister Penny Wong, who is also the first openly gay woman in parliament.
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When launching a Pride Square spot in Newtown, the Prime Minister said: “I’ll be the first Prime Minister not to watch the march on Mardi Gras, but to march.
He added: “We speak a lot about tolerance – and tolerance is really important – but this is about a step that is way more important than tolerance.
“We need to celebrate our diversity, not just tolerate it because our diversity is what gives our society strength.”
Malcolm Turnbull was the first sitting Prime Minister to attend the Mardi Gras parade back in 2016, however he didn't actually march up Oxford and Flinders Streets.
Bill Shorten actually marched in the parade that year when he was Opposition Leader and became the first federal leader of a major party to do so.