Larry.Galbraith@f707.n712.z3.fidonet.org (Larry Galbraith) (08/19/90)
Hello, everyone. I'd like to introduce myself. I'm from Sydney, Australia, and
I am editor of the Sydney Star Observer, Australia's leading gay newspaper.
Not surprisingly, coverage of HIV/AIDS figures prominently.
I have recently returned from Australia's Fourth National Conference on AIDS
where the following issues featured prominently:
1. Availability of treatments. At present only AZT is being trialled, and ddI
trials are to start shortly. There are also some prophylactics available for
HIV-related infections and illnesses. Approval for wider use of AZT, as is
allowed in America by the FDA still has not happened.
Not surprisingly, the Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra branches of ACTUP came
together as ACTUP Australia to stage a demonstration at the opening of the
Conference with the theme of Cut the Red Tape. Unlike San Francisco, however,
an ACTUP spokesperson was allowed to address the Conference for five to ten
minutes, and declared it open - taking away the limelight from the Federal
Health Minister who was to open it! The theme of his speech was treatments and
the lack of availability.
2. Stigmatisation of people with HIV infection. any people living with AIDS
(several of whom wrote "proudly living with AIDS" on their conference name
tags) spoke against continued stigmatisation. The conference itself avoided
this. Not only did ACTUP open the conference, but the national convenor of the
National People Living with AIDS coalition closed it.
Since the AIDS pandemic first made its presence felt in Australia, there had
been an ongoing partnership between Government, medical professionals and the
affected communities. It is a partnership that has at times come under strain
(as it is at the moment over the treatments issue) and it occasionally comes
under attack from media writers, some doctors and politicians. However, it has
proved effective in limiting further spread, and should provide a model to the
rest of the world.
These are just a few thoughts, expressed a little less coherently than I would
like. But I hope to get some genuine international discussion going in this
echo.
Larry Galbraith
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