It's very sad. I was born in Swan Hill and thought I would be here a long time. Mr Wheatland's parents have received hate mail while a Presbyterian minister who campaigned against the festival has received threats that his church will be burned. The Guardian has been inundated with angry letters. Supporters say homosexuals have a right to stage the festival.
Homosexual behaviour is inherently perverse and unhealthy.
It destroys both the individual and society. Editor Chris McLennan said the 10,000-strong town was extremely conservative. Mr Wheatland said he had expected more than 2000 people to attend Swan Hill's first break-out festival, which was scheduled for the last weekend of February. Organisers planned to hand out survival guides for gays and lesbians living in the country. Mr Wheatland said the idea came after a friend committed suicide because he could not come to terms with coming out in a small town.