Date: Sat, 20 Apr 1996 16:56:29 +1000 From: leto@werple.net.au (Brendon Wickham) Subject: (Australia) Brother Sister News - 18/4/96 BROTHER SISTER - QUEER NEWS FROM DOWNUNDER Issue 104 - 18/4/96 Including: 1. Island paradise stonewalled 2. New drug launched 3. Democrats Bill soon for debate 4. NSW same-sex recognition 5. No alarm for HIV kits 6. Tasmanian vote welcomed This and previous postings are archived for the QRD. Point your URL to http://werple.net.au/~leto/news - or go through the Pacific Region of the QRD at http://www.qrd.org/qrd/world/pacific/ =+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ ISLAND PARADISE STONEWALLED *A resort that was being promoted as Australia's first exclusively gay island holiday getaway has turned out to be a swindle.* The resort to be known as Stonewall Island, a part of the Whitsundays once referred to as Stone Island, was promoted as opening to coincide with this year's Mardi Gras. Gael Daesley, a promoter for the island, sought financial backing for the deal in Melbourne and advertised for staff. Daesley has now disappeared leaving a trail of debt through travel agents, investors and potential employees. Stonewall was sold to investors as an exclusive resort, covering 90 hectares, containing 60 units and a gymnasium along with other luxury services. Investors, agents and employees for Stonewall were tracked down through the local gay and lesbian press. One Melbourne woman, formerly working with the Melbourne gay lifestyle magazine Bliss, told Brother Sister she has been stranded in Queensland with no money to get back home. The woman claims that her and seven other Melbourne workers, gave up jobs, moved out of their homes and shifted to Queensland ready to begin employment at Stonewall Island. The workers say they were given cheques for one week's work in advance, those cheques bounced and Daesley could not be found. It was then discovered that no construction of a resort had begun on the island. One of the workers has said that they are unable to afford to return to Melbourne and some have had their belongings confiscated by removalists that they had hired to shift interstate. One local investor in the island has been unable to comment on the situation, claiming that "my hands are legally bound" but that he had been expecting media interest in the story for some time. Anne Fitzgerald of Pride Travel believes she has already lost hundreds of dollars to the bogus Stonewall resort and has apologised if her involvement in it has led to others losing money in the project. Trips to the island had been offered as prizes in charity fundraisers, low-priced deals were advertised to the public for the opening of the resort and it was being marketed as the ideal setting for same-sex commitment ceremonies. Police are currently investigating the Stonewall Island set- up. NEW DRUG LAUNCHED *A new antiretroviral drug was made available for this week in Australia for the treatment of HIV/AIDS.* Australia's leading HIV researchers and physicians, and members of the HIV community, gathered in Sydney for the launch which some described as the start of a new era in HIV management after five years with little progress in therapy. Research has shown that 3TC (also known as Epivir or lamivudine), when used in combination with AZT has been shown to have a major impact on reducing HIV levels and preserving immune functions. Speaking at the launch, Dr John Bartlett, the chief investigator on one of the two North American clinical trials which led to the approval of 3TC said: "We've recently learned that combination therapy can provide important benefits to patients over therapy with single drugs." Bartlett outlined the advantages of 3TC when used in combination with AZT including its ability to lower the amount of virus in the blood over a prolonged period of time and boost the immune system. He also explained the possibility of the combination helping to delay resistance to AZT or even restore sensitivity to AZT, two of the major barriers to effective, long term HIV management. Also speaking at the meeting was Professor David Cooper, Director of the National Centre for HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Trials and Australia's leading HIV researcher, who said that these and other research results had led to a 'new sense of optimism' in the medical community and among people living with HIV/AIDS. Mr Bill Whittaker, Treatments Spokesperson for the National Association of People Living with HIV/AIDS said that one of the challenges for the future management of HIV was to encourage more Australians living with HIV to monitor their health closely and to consider the option of early treatment for HIV infection. Whittaker added that research had shown that combinations of drugs like 3TC, used early in the course of HIV infection, was a key factor in maintaining health and prolonging life. DEMOCRATS' BILL SOON FOR DEBATE *The Australian Council for lesbian And Gay Rights has called on the ALP and the Coalition to support the Australian Democrats' Sexuality Anti-discrimination Bill soon to be re-introduced to the Senate.* The bill be tabled during the next session of Federal Parliament, which commences on April 30. A spokesperson for the council, Robyn Walsh has welcomed the commitment of the Democrats to re- introduce the Bill, and hopes it can be passed. Walsh: "If we can get it through the Senate with the support of the ALP we will have achieved a significant victory." She went on to add that there will be a lot of pressure exerted on the Coalition to support the legislation as well. Walsh stated, "The pressure will be on John Howard to give substance to his pre-election promise to oppose discrimination against homosexual people." Although the Bill is not supported by all gay and lesbian organisations, Walsh believes that it will play an important role in battling inadequate state laws regarding sexuality issues. The Bill, to be tabled by Democrat Sid Spindler, proposes to outlaw discrimination on the basis of sexuality and transgender identity. It protects people discriminated against in the areas of employment, education, superannuation, accommodation and in the provision of goods and services. The Bill also proposes to recognise same-sex relationships as equal to heterosexual de facto relationships, a part of the legislation that Walsh objects to. Walsh: "We have to recognise that there is deep division in our communities about the best way for the legal system to recognise our relationships." NSW SAME-SEX RECOGNITION *Groundbreaking legislation recognising same-sex relationships is expected to be debated - and passed - by the NSW State Government in the next session of Parliament.* The Government will also consider proposals to extend the Anti-Discrimination Act so that it specifically covers transexuals as well as lesbians and gay men. The initiatives are being sponsored by the NSW Attorney- General, Jeff Shaw. Independent member for Bligh, Clover Moore, meanwhile, has vowed to draft her own legislation to recognise same- sex partnerships in the event that Shaw reneges on a promise made last year to move on the issue. Shaw's office is remaining tight-lipped about the timing of the legislation, but it is understood both initiatives will be debated during the current parliamentary session. Shaw has previously said: "I would like to see legislation which treats a variety of stable relationships in a non- discriminatory way. That includes same-sex relationships and other relationships, irrespective of their sexuality." Shaw went on to say that the Anti-Discrimination Act should be amended so that it specifically covers transsexuals as well as gay men and lesbians. He said he is "sympathetic" to a proposal which would allow tranys to change their birth certificate to reflect their chosen gender. Co-convenor of the Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby (GLRL), Stevie Clayton, said this week she hopes Shaw's promised legislation is modelled on the ACT's Domestic Partnership Act. The ACT legislation recognise any established domestic relationship of care, be it familial, platonic, lesbian, gay or heterosexual. It covers partners' rights in relation to compensation claims, hospital care, bail, and property. Moore's proposal may also be modelled on existing ACT legislation, rather than attempt to extend the existing definition of de factos to include same-sex relationships. According to the GLRL's Stevie Clayton, Moore's proposal represents a "good fallback" if the Attorney-General doesn't initiate his own bill. Julie Catt, SSO NO ALARM FOR HIV KITS *An HIV test kit has been withdrawn from the Australian market after the discovery of four "false negative" test results in the United Kingdom, however experts say there is no cause for alarm.* The IMX kit, released in October 1995, was used by 33 laboratories around the country, according to NSW AIDS Advisory Council chair and St Vincent's Hospital director for Immunology Professor Ron Penny. "However the community should be reassured," Penny said. "Many labs in Australia do parallel tests on samples - if this is done, then there is almost no likelihood of false tests coming through. "Millions and millions of Europeans have been tested with the kit and only between four and ten tests have been recognised as being inaccurate.. it is a very infrequent occurrence." Penny says there is "an intrinsic problem with the IMX kit, where people with high levels of antibodies are likely to be the ones to test negative falsely." "When false positive results are found, they are easily screened out before the individual gets results," Penny said. "It is the false negatives that are the problem, because they will not be picked up until that person is tested again. "We may not know the kit is faulty until thousands of tests are done." Kit producers, Abbott Australasia, has declined to comment on the withdrawal of the faulty kits. Australia National Council on AIDS chair Dr Don Grimes agreed that people should not worry over their results. "The kits were withdrawn last week, the next step will be to contact the labs who used the test, then they will need to contact doctors, then the doctors contact their patients," Grimes said. "I don't think we need to panic about this situation." Professor Penny said unlike the UK, where thousands of patients were recalled for testing, Australians who have been tested with the Abbott kit should simply talk it through with their doctor. The kit, which was widely adopted in the United Kingdom and other European countries, such as France, Sweden and the Netherlands, was still regarded as one of the most reliable around, according to Penny. "No test kits is 100 percent reliable, there will be situations, even using other kits, where a very small number of people will be given a false result," he said. "We also must remember there is no shortage of kits - if it was the only kit in the world we would be in crisis, but it is not, there is a surfeit of companies making HIV diagnostic kits." Ruth Pollard, SSO VOTE WELCOMED Tasmania's gay and Lesbian Rights Group has welcomed a statement by Premier Tony Rundle that a Liberal Party conscience vote on gay law reform is likely. Group spokesperson, Rodney Croome, said that a Liberal Party conscience vote would give gay law reform "it's best chance ever" of passing the Upper House. Croome added, "A conscience vote will be a powerful symbol of the fact that the Tasmanian gay and lesbian community can no longer be denied its place in Tasmanian society." Any softening of the Liberal Party's position on gay law reform is seen by Croome as translating to Liberal support for gay anti-discrimination laws. =+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ BOTTOM LINE Revolutionaries take all forms and the latest to challenge the status quo of society are two boys from Washington Middle School who decided it would be a good idea to wear a dress to school. Outraged, the Principal ordered that they change clothes and brought about insurrection when 100 students marched a week later to support their stand. The protest, organised by the Empowered Youth Educating Society (EYES), was not for the cause of fashion rights, but personal rights the EYES said. They deride the petty school rules that insist on dictating dress sense and forbid boys to wear clothing that "is more frequently associated with females". In defence mode his Mr Principalness, Bruce Hunter, said the boys were obligated to change because administrators (read : 'faceless bureaucrats') were afraid the skirts would disrupt the learning environment. Well, bollocks to all that we say! It's about time the male skirt became accepted by the discerning public. Menfolk of the western world have been disadvantaged for too long - accessorising is the biggest drag when all you've got is a shirt, tie and trousers. Down with the Tyranny of the Trouser and Tie! Up with Scintillating Skirts! Just imagine how much more interesting board meetings would be if business men could coordinate a range of tasteful skirts. We're not saying girlie styles are the go. No, a nicely tailored skirt looks great on a man - and you get to scope out the legs too (shorts just don't have the same glamour). Anyone willing to join us in our cause? Please address all enquiries and donations (you know, grenade launchers, AK47's, Fashion Editors and the like) to : The Popular People's Freedom Front for Male-Gendered Skirt Wearers Everywhere (except Scotland, Fiji and That Country Where Those Whirling Dervishes Live) - care of this newspaper. Brendon Wickham =+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Brother Sister is a fortnightly newspaper published in Melbourne, VIC and Brisbane, QLD, Australia. I have selected the main news stories as well as items of interest. Overseas media who utilise any or all of the above material please credit Brother Sister as your source (and by-line if it is listed). Thank you. Brendon Wickham