Auckland Pride Board survives vote of no confidence after banning uniformed police from parade

The meeting is to establish confidence in the Auckland Pride board. Photo/Luke Kirkness

The Auckland Pride Board has survived a no confidence vote tonight sparked by more than a month of division between the LGBTI+ community.

Hundreds of people gathered tonight at Pitt St Methodist Church in central Auckland for a special general meeting of Auckland Pride.

After initially deliberating on whether to allow media into the meeting, a motion of no-confidence against the board was eventually put to a vote.

However it was defeated by 52 votes - 273 for the motion and 325 against.

The board hit turbulence last month when it announced it would ban uniformed police officers from marching down Ponsonby Rd at the annual event.

Hundreds gathered for the special general meeting of Auckland Pride at the Pitt Street Methodist Centre. Photo/Luke Kirkness

Joel Walsham, who spoke against the motion in the meeting, was ecstatic with the result of the vote.

"I'm very happy that the board retained the confidence of our community," Walsham said.

"I think they've made a very bold, a no doubt difficult decision and I'm really happy that what we showed is that our community is a lot broader than a lot of people that have had power in this community for a long time."

Anthony Russell bought the motion forward and said it was disheartening to have it rejected.

"It is disappointing, in simple reality it is, but the fact is the membership voted."

Several companies and sponsors stopped their support and said they wouldn't participate in the event following the controversial decision.

Tonight's meeting was held to vote on a motion of no confidence in the board amid fallout from the ongoing controversy.

But even if the vote of no confidence had passed, the board would not necessarily have been forced to step down.

An article on gayexpress.co.nz says the Pride Board doesn't have to step down.

"The Auckland Pride Board have commissioned a legal opinion that says under the current constitution, the board does not have to resign even if a no-confidence motion is carried at tonight's SGM.

"The legal opinion was commissioned by the current board and written by the same person who is facilitating tonight's meeting.

"Mark Von Dadelszen has concluded in his report that under the current Auckland Pride constitution, the board will not have to resign in the event of a no-confidence motion, effectively rendering the purpose of tonight's SGM pointless."