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The AIDS Council of SA Inc. Our vision is: Phone: (08) 8334 1611 64 Fullarton Road, PO Box 907,
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Hello and welcome to the first edition of ACSA Update: our monthly e-news.
Update is designed to keep our community members, stakeholders, and other interested parties informed of the advocacy and policy development work of ACSA. Each month, we will provide our readers with up to date information on publications, resources, emerging issues and events.
I commenced work at ACSA in December 2008 and the first four months have been an exciting period. I joined ACSA from SACOSS, the South Australian Council of Social Service where I had worked for the last five years and as Deputy Director for the last two years. My main areas of responsibility at SACOSS were sector development : helping non government organisations with their management and governance issues and conducting training in a wide variety of areas - activism, campaigning, funding submissions, governance and policy development to name a few. Secondly, a substantial part of my work was analysing Government policy and co-ordinating community sector responses to issues such as child protection, community engagement, food security, energy, mental health, public housing, pensions and benefits, employment, training and education, all with a focus on outcomes for low income and disadvantaged South Australians. Prior to working at SACOSS, I had worked for 10 years in the federal government, in housing and homelessness policy and service delivery, and prior to that a raft of jobs in the finance and banking areas. I also served on the ACSA Board from 1998-2003 including two terms as President.
The challenges facing ACSA and the communities we represent and serve are many and varied. I have spent the first few months getting to know members and stakeholders and making sure I am well informed regarding the priority issues for ACSA, not just in program and service development, but also where we can make a real difference in policy advice and advocacy. After many years of relatively stable rates of new diagnoses of HIV in South Australia, notifications over the last few years have risen by a moderate but important amount. Data indicates that last year, over 70% of new HIV infections occurred among gay men and other men who have sex with men. Alongside this, syphilis rates among gay men have increased five-fold from 2005 to 2008. There has been an increase in raids on brothels recently and police are increasingly seizing condoms for evidence in criminal proceedings, undermining the health and safety of sex workers. Our ability to actively engage with people who inject drugs has been diminished by restrictive contract conditions placed upon our services. These are all challenges that require strong leadership and collaborative approaches to ensure that we get the best health outcomes for our communities.
Shane Dinnison
Executive Director
shane.dinnison@acsa.org.au
National Men’s Health Policy Consultation Forums
The Minister for Health and Ageing, the Hon Nicola Roxon MP, announced the commencement of the consultation process for the National Men’s Health Policy on 25 November 2008 with the release of Developing a Men’s Health Policy for Australia – Resource Kit.
Gay Men’s Health is convening an online survey to gather information to help inform ACSA's submission.
Click here if you would like to participate in the survey
PASH Study: Pleasure and sexual health: participants wanted
This is a study of gay and bisexual men about their experiences of and attitudes toward sex and pleasure. It will provide valuable information for health promotion efforts and policy development, and may be used in the development of health promotion materials for gay and bisexual men. More information available at http://www.pash-study.net/. The PASH study team will be in Adelaide between 30 May and 2 June to conduct interviews. Men who are interested in being interviewed can contact Dr Pol McCann on 1800 445 569 or email Pmccann@nchecr.unsw.edu.au
Senate select committee on Men's Health
ACSA had input into this senate committee through its membership of AFAO, the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations and the National LGBT Health Alliance. Both organisations emphasised in their submissions the specific needs of gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men in their submission.
Click here to view The National LGBT Health Alliance submission
Human Rights Consultation
The National Human Rights Consultation provides the opportunity for you to share your views on human rights. The Consultation is run by an independent Committee. The Committee is supported by a Secretariat in the Attorney-General’s Department.
The Consultation is a chance to hear people’s ideas about human rights and talk about ways to protect and promote human rights in the future.
Equal Opportunity in South Australia: Baby Steps towards equality
First introduced in 2006, the measures to strengthen equal opportunity laws in South Australia have again been watered down. Opponents of the original bill were concerned that they would not have the freedom to speak out publicly against people or behaviours that they believe to be immoral. In the end, the government was forced to withdraw the bill because it did not have the numbers in the Legislative Council. The most recent version of the Bill was introduced into the Legislative Council in November 2008 and was finally passed on April 8th 2009, with significant amendments including the continuation of legal discrimination against GLBT people in employment in religious schools. The amendments were passed with the support of opposition members of the Legislative Council.
If the bill in its current form is passed by the Lower House when it sits at the end of April, South Australia will have made some progress to bring our equal opportunity laws up to speed, but there will be a way to go before all South Australians are equal under the law.
STARS against Homophobia: an event to celebrate all diverse sexualities
IDAHO: the International Day Against HOmophobia
What is IDAHO? On 17 May 1990, the General Assembly of the World Health Organization (WHO) removed homosexuality from their list of mental disorders. The fight for the recognition of equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people continues today, across the globe and here in Adelaide.
Come along and join the voices saying NO toHomophobia.
- Write on a STAR against Homophobia
- Speeches and stories from Hon Ian Hunter MLC and local community members
- Performances from local stand-up comic Lori Farmer, Singer/Songwriters Luke Ashby and Linda Patterson
- Event Catered | Bar Open
Sunday 17 May, 2009 @ 2pm, Higher Ground Art Café, Light Square, Adelaide, for more information, visit www.acsa.org.au/idaho.html
Hepatitis Awareness Week 2009
This year, World Hepatitis Day falls on 19 May and in Australia, National Hepatitis Awareness Week runs from 18 May to 22 May. A new activity being launched this year is the Love Your Liver lunch. Get together with your friends and colleagues to have a nice healthy lunch while learning about what’s good and what’s not, for your liver. The Hepatitis C Council of SA will be holding a Love Your Liver lunch as part of the SA Awareness Week launch on 19 May at the Sophia Centre.
For general enquiries about Hepatitis Awareness Week, contact Cecilia on 8362 8443, email cecilia@hepccouncilsa.asn.au
Feast: Annual Quiz Night and Auction
Saturday 23rd May 2009
Goodwood Community Centre
Rosa Street, Goodwood SA
Cost $13 BYO snacks, fundraising bar
Click here for more information and/or bookings
AIDS Awareness Week 2009:
Mark you diary for the Walk for AIDS through the Botanic Gardens on Sunday 22nd November 2009.
Other events planned for the week including the traditional Candlelight Memorial and Badge Day.
The ACSA Update will keep readers informed as the week draws closer.
International Whores Day
Friday 5th June 2009 celebrates the birth of the sex worker rights movement that began in 1976 in Lyons, France. In 2009, more than 30 years on, South Australian sex workers are still fighting against discrimination, criminalisation and victimisation. This year, please join sex workers, other sex industry employees, health and welfare workers, supporters, friends and families, to show your support for sex workers in South Australia as we continue to fight for our human rights.
PUBLIC MARCH:
3.30 till 5pm @ La Sing - 261 Gouger Street, Adelaide
Drinks, nibbles, wigs and giggles as we prepare ourselves to dress to impress (and disguise) for a RED UMBRELLA March to demonstrate the negative impact SA Laws have on SA Sex workers.
PRIVATE PARTY:
6pm till 10pm @ La Sing - 261 Gouger Street, Adelaide
For those too shy to march with us, join us at the after party!
Karaoke and Games for sex workers and supporters.
For more information or to RSVP, please contact SA Sex Industry Network (SIN)
on
(08) 8334 1666.
Next Steps is an education resource for people recently-diagnosed with HIV infection This booklet details how the virus affects the body, offers advice on how to manage life as an HIV positive person and provides suggestions on how to make decisions around treatments, sex, telling people and legal rights. An electronic version is available here, or you can contact Information Services on 8334 1615 for a printed copy.
Reflections: 25 years of HIV: 2009 marks 25 years since the National Advisory Committee on AIDS (NACAIDS), was established to provide advice to the government on HIV education, treatments and legal and health policy. The Advisory Committee was a key initiative in developing the Australian response to HIV. The latest issue of HIV Australia reflects on the those early years and the changes since: the burning need for advocacy, the integration of human rights into the HIV response, the battles for treatments access, the growing visibility of HV positive women, and more.
The Red Ribbon Bobby Goldsmith Fund recently received a financial boost by from two significant benefactors. The Adelaide Sleaze Ball donated nearly $4000 from ticket and water sales from the 2008 event. National Pharmacies, which has been partnering with ACSA for a number of years now, sold red ribbon merchandise through its pharmacies in SA during February and raised $1,000. Many thanks to both organisations for their support!
The Adelaide Cabaret Festival has kindly agreed to donate all proceeds from Bingay to the Red Ribbon Bobby Goldsmith Fund. Bingay will be hosted by Mitzi Mackintosh and Namoi the butch Barrel Girl and is being held on June 11th and 18th at the Banquet Room at the Festival Centre. More information here. Thanks to Artistic Director David Campbell for the Festival’s support.