A Beechworth couple want to take the celebration of social diversity a step further with stickers for businesses to display in shopfronts showing their support.
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It comes after more than 700 residents attended a walk through town in December in an event Indigo Council Mayor Jenny O’Connor described as “uniting” the community.
Gavin Doherty said the walk had inspired his idea for businesses to display a sticker stating “You are welcome: we support diversity and inclusion”.
“It’s one thing to tolerate people who visit who are gay, lesbian, transgender or who are from a variety of ethnic or religious backgrounds – it’s another thing to come out and say ‘you are welcome here’,” he said.
“More and more, people of diverse backgrounds from Melbourne and Sydney are coming to town and we need to make sure they feel welcomed.”
Mr Doherty put to the Beechworth Chamber of Commerce that stickers be developed and a logo for participating businesses included on promotional tourism material.
It’s one thing to tolerate people who visit ... it’s another thing to come out and say ‘you are welcome here’
- Beechworth resident Gavin Doherty
“Businesses who sign up could be listed so that anybody of diverse origin going to the town’s website can jump on to find who will be welcoming, which is quite important when you’re booking a bed and breakfast or something similar,” he said. “Places in Sydney have a similar program with stickers.”
Beechworth Chamber of Commerce president Elizabeth Mason said the chamber had received Mr Doherty’s proposal but would not be taking it any further.
“I think the diversity march was a nice way to show we are inclusive, but we were not in support of singling out businesses,” she said.
“The problem is what it does is some businesses choose not to and it creates diversion, the issue you’re trying to avoid.”
“We welcome every person to Beechworth, regardless of their way of life and choices.”
Cr O’Connor declined to say whether she would personally support the idea but said council would hear community opinions if it were to gain support.
“I would hope that message (of supporting diversity) got out there clearly without needing stickers,” she said.
“But if parts of the community that may be marginalised felt that was important, we might look at it.
“If there’s people feeling we need to do more, that’s an important thing for them to raise with council and we need to look at what might be the best way to engage different community groups.”
