Hot Sunday post-mortem

Short coffee at Memphis and then in to last movie at FFF.

Last night at the big commemoration of Gay Law Reform this woman below, the famous Fran Wilde, who thirty years ago was the infamous Fran Wide who saw through the law reform for legal gay sex at age eighteen, was rightfully given a standing ovation in the the Grand Banquet Hall at Parliament House in the Bee Hive.

And in today's DOM Pist we see that she has been turfed our of her latest incarnation on Wellington City Council. Perhaps she is just too innovative and far too radical for the conservative homeguard that is Wellington City Council.

But last nght was her night, along with a few others. There were many speeches and much patting on backs. I stayed for two hours but left before it was over, exhausted. Tiwhanawhana did the opening Kapahaka and they applauded us as we made our way off the stage to set the tone for a night of commemorating the most important milestone ever, in NZ gay policy. And Tom stayed at home although was intrinsically a part of the all the hard work which went into this tough change of legislation.

Here a group of the guests chat,  all dolled-up before the big event began.

La Quisha Redfern who was one of the MCs with flair

Me with good friend Karamia sitting in audience both feeling good. Keri her partner had a painful back and wasn't able to attend.

Today's Dom Post, showing local cattle rustling in NZ...I am in total agreement with it that it should be stopped in the name of cruelty to animals. 

And below Mark Reason is adamant that the failure to recognise concussion can ruin rugby footballers, and their future, possibly also the game.

This writer Andrew O'Hagan is here for the Writers' Festival, and I feel it is time I read one of his books as he is a very talented writer.

Saw Tom this afternoon to tell him of the events last night. It was too hot for the Newtown Fair so we had a cool drink together. This was after I attended the final French film which was a French Canadian one and it was the best of all that I have attended so far. Called 'My Internship in Canada' it was a hilarious political satire, totally believable and wonderfully acted. It deserves five stars.

Afterwards I just had time for a festival freebie at St James Theatre, with five excellent actors playing roles of famous Kiwis, and the one who played the amazing transgender showgirl and activist, Carmen Rupe, posed for a selfie with me afterwards. She was fabulous and reminded everyone what this transgender woman did for Kiwi gender politics in the sixties and seventies. Carmen only passed away last year at the good age of 85 years in Australia.

The great Carmen Rupe, recreated on stage at St James.