S o we do add $alue to our community!

Regular visitors to our site may recall our exchanges with the former local Liberal Member of the Victorian State Parliament, the homophobic, but non the less Hon. Gary Spry. Spry went into apoplexy over the suggestion by the local tourism authority that Queenscliff foster the "Gay" market and thereby attract the so called "pink dollar".

Fortunately, Spry retired and his seat was lost to the Labor Party. The new Victorian Labor Government subsequently established it credentials with the Gay Community by ensuring appropriate legislation was introduced and passed through the parliament to protect the rights of same sex couples in relationships.

Both The Age and The Weekend Australian have carried reports commenting on the 2001 Census data. Using Australia's 2001 Commonwealth Census data, a report from researcher, National Economics found that 8.8 per cent of inner Melbourne couples were same-sex, higher than Sydney on 5.9 per cent and San Francisco on 5.4 per cent.

The Age noted that the report argues that creative capital has become one of the most important drivers of a region's financial success. The author, Peter Brain, said cities such as Melbourne with cultural, sexual, ethnic and artistic diversity coupled with a vibrant street culture and night life tended to attract innovation and businesses searching for skilled and creative workers.

The Australian reports that American research holds that the number of gay couples in a locality is a key indicator of the creative class.

The 2001 Census showed gays and lesbians worked most in culture and recreation followed by education, health and community services, government and the new economy (business services, marketing, legal services and management advisory services).