Media Releases

Today’s announcement by the Victorian Government to introduce legislation to repeal Section 19A of the Crimes
Act 1958 (Vic) has been welcomed by the Victorian AIDS Council (VAC), Living Positive Victoria, and various community leaders.
The Andrews Government has recognised that Section 19A is the only offence of its kind in Australia - contributing to the stigma
experienced by people living with HIV (PLHIV) and hindering efforts in HIV prevention.
During the 20th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2014) in Melbourne last July, VAC and Living Positive Victoria spearheaded
a campaign to #Repeal19A with the support of state and national organisations across health and law sectors. The campaign saw
commitments from various political parties going into November’s Victorian State Election to repeal 19A including the Andrews
Labor Government.
“The law needs to treat HIV transmission as a public health issue, not as a criminal justice issue. Section 19A wrongly stigmatises
people living with HIV as dangerous. It risks undermining public health messages around HIV prevention. It is vital to repeal section
19A in order for our laws to support the community’s efforts to reduce HIV stigma, encourage people to seek treatment as early as
possible, and prevent future transmission of HIV,” said senior Victorian barrister Ian Freckelton QC.
Chair, HIV Legal Working Group, Paul Kidd went on to say, “Research around the world shows this is the right way to combat HIV.
Our organisations strongly believe the Public Health and Wellbeing Act provides the best way to deal with allegations of risky
behaviour – keeping the public safe and protecting human rights. We are calling on the Director of Public Prosecutions to adopt
prosecutorial guidelines that support that commitment.”
Professor Sharon Lewin, Director of the Doherty Institute, The University of Melbourne and the local co-chair for AIDS2014 said
“Reducing HIV transmission is best approached through effective public health policy and community engagement – not through
criminalisation and stigma. The repeal of section 19A is a very welcome announcement and an important enduring legacy from
AIDS2014 to see an end to stigma and discrimination for all people living with HIV.”
“Now that this legislation has been introduced, we hope it is met with the same bipartisan support we have seen in the Victorian
response to HIV/AIDS historically,” said VAC CEO Simon Ruth. “Repealing 19A will allow us to combat the stigma experienced by
PLHIV and to continue our work in HIV prevention - a vital step forward if we’re to see a future with no new HIV notifications in
Victoria.”

With the recent Australian Christian Lobby warning that faith-based adoption agencies
may cease to operate unless they’re granted the right to refuse same-sex couples, both the Victorian AIDS
Council (VAC) and Drummond Street Services have stepped up to say they’d be willing to offer an adoption
service that doesn’t discriminate if the need arises.
“If an adoption service can’t operate without permission to discriminate against potential parents from
a gender, sex, or sexually diverse background, then it’s not a service that the state of Victoria should be
supporting - whether that’s through financial support or by being granted an exemption,” said VAC CEO
Simon Ruth. “VAC will do everything it can to support the diverse community it serves. If that means
setting up an adoption agency to support potential rainbow families, we’ll work with community partners
to make that happen.”
Commited to programs and services that ensure the wellbeing of Victorian families, Drummond Street
Services has come forward to say it would work with VAC if such a need arose.
“In a time when so many children desperately need to be placed in alternative permanent, safe and
nurturing families, faith-based organisations seeking to discriminate against same-sex loving adult couples
who are willing to provide such support, seems ludicrous and offensive,” said Drummond Street CEO Karen
Field. “Asking for protection in order to maintain their prejudicial and homophobic beliefs in this day and
age is insulting and, I would have thought, contrary to good Christian values.”
Field went on to say, “It is unfortunate that the Royal Commission provides ample examples where the
unfettered protection faith-based organisations have enjoyed, and have asked to be continued, has at
times been at the detriment of children in their care. In addition, proposed changes to the Adoption Act by
the Victorian government is merely seeking to both acknowledge and keep pace with the rich and diverse
family forms in contemporary Australia life.”

Early this morning Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop confirmed that two Victorians,
a mother and her adult son, were on board the Germanwings Flight 4U9525 that crashed in the Southern
Alps en route from Barcelona to Dusseldorf in the early hours of the morning. Longstanding VAC volunteer
Greig Friday has now been identified as one of the two Australians lost in this tragedy. Greig had been
featured in a previous VAC Health Promotion campaign in 2010 and worked as a volunteer facilitator in
VAC’s Young & Gay Peer Education program for the past several years.
Greig started volunteering for VAC in 2007 after completing the Young & Gay Peer Education Workshop.
Greig was instrumental in the success of Young & Gay, providing assistance and guidance to many young
people to overcome homophobia and celebrate their sexual identity. Greig also played a key role in the
establishment of Young & Gay Alumni, a social support group for participants to remain connected to the
community after the workshop. Young & Gay was recently recognised at Melbourne’s innaugural GLOBE
awards in October 2014 recognising significant contributions to the LGBTIQ community.
VAC Peer Education Coordinator Budi Sudarto worked closely with Greig. “We will miss Greig’s witty
personality and his sense of humour. Greig always put others first, and this is evident in his on-going
dedication to both Young & Gay and the Peer Education Program,” he said. “We will remember Greig, and
we want him to know that he left positive mark in the world and put smiles on others’ faces as part of his
legacy.”
VAC President Greg Carter added, “We express our sincerest condolences to all those that lost loved ones
in today’s tragedy, but we’re incredibly saddened that we’ve lost one of our dedicated volunteers. Our
thoughts are with Greig’s friends as well as his family, who have lost both Greig and his mother Carol.”
“We’re an organisation that has only ever been possible with the support of community members like
Greig Friday,” said VAC CEO Simon Ruth. “Today we honour Greig’s contributions to VAC and the positive
impact he has made on the lives of several young gay men in our community.”
On a final note, VAC Director, Health Promotions, Policy & Communications, Colin Batrouney added, “Greig
Friday was a highly valued volunteer with the Health Promotion Program. Like many young gay men, Greig
had to find a way of coming to grips with his sexuality, learn about relationships, and come out in a society
that is sometimes hostile to gay men. Greig did all this with grace and humility. He became a Peer Facilitator
with our program, offering support, education and friendship to other gay men facing the same issues. His
kindness and generosity of spirit will be sorely missed by all of us.”

The Victorian AIDS Council (VAC) congratulates the Victorian Government on today’s
announcement of the Ice Action Plan. The launch of this Ice Action Plan ensures VAC will be able to
continue to deliver its Alcohol & Other Drug Services aimed at reducing the harm associated with ice use
in Victorian LGBTI communities.
The Andrews Government’s $45.5 million action plan has a focus on reducing the harm associated with ice
use by assisting families, supporting frontline workers, using education campaigns for drug-use prevention,
reducing the supply of ice, and increasing support services. This includes addressing the specific needs of
the LGBTI communities affected by ice use in Victoria.
“With concerns over the impact ice use has on HIV risk reduction strategies as well as the ongoing health
and wellbeing of our community, we welcome this announcement,” said VAC CEO Simon Ruth. “We look
forward to working with Minister Foley on further improving health outcomes for the LGBTI communities.”
The Ice Action Plan is available online at: www.premier.vic.gov.au/ice-action-plan
For more information on VAC’s current Alcohol & Other Drug Services, go to: www.vac.org.au/AODServices

Following the exciting announcements regarding HIV Pre Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)
at last week’s Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) in Seattle, the Victorian
AIDS Council (VAC) has launched a social media campaign through the world’s largest petition platform -
Change.org. The petition aims to increase pressure on the Australian government to approve the use of
PrEP for HIV prevention.
At last week’s CROI, findings from the PROUD study (UK) and the IPERGAY study (France/Canada)
demonstrated that PrEP greatly reduces HIV infection rates. This announcement follows close behind
VAC’s mid-Feburary release of an Issues Paper and Position Statement on their website at: www.vac.org.
au/PrEP. These documents outline the evidence base and the organisation’s firm stance that PrEP needs to
be approved for use in Australia as part of the ongoing response to HIV/AIDS.
“For the first time in 32 years, our goal of ending all new HIV infections in Australia is within sight,” said
VAC CEO Simon Ruth. “Through combined prevention strategies of condoms, PrEP, and undetectable viral
load, we can go a long way to achieving our vision: a future without HIV.”
He went on to add, “We know there are many Australians who want to access PrEP in order look after
their sexual health and wellbeing. As longstanding advocates for making HIV prevention practical and
accessible, VAC is hoping to help those voices be heard through this online petition.”
The petition is being largely shared through social media using the Twitter hashtag #approvePrEPdownunder
and linking to VAC’s Approve PrEP DownUnder petition at: bit.ly/approvePrEPdownunder

The Victorian AIDS Council (VAC) is partnering with Rainbow Families Council for
the upcoming community forum We Are Family: Queer Families 2015 as part of the ChillOut Festival in
Daylesford on Saturday 7 March. The forum aims to discuss the triumphs and challenges faced by families
from gender, sex, and sexually diverse communities, with a particular focus on those living in regional and
rural Victoria.
“Over the past several months, these community forums have been a great opportunity for VAC to open
up the discussion about a range of issues affecting the communities we serve,” said VAC CEO Simon Ruth.
“ChillOut festival is the perfect opportunity to extend that format to those living in regional and rural
Victoria. We are particularly excited that Rainbow Families Council have come on board for this event.”
The forum will feature a mix of speakers with experiences ranging from adoption law reform to transgender
parenting to accessing support in regional areas. The event will even offer a platform to convey the
perspective of children who have been raised in rainbow families.
Rainbow Families Council Co-Convener Amelia Bassett will be one of the panellists for the event.
“LGBTI-parented families are everywhere. They are creating communities in rural and regional Victoria
in increasing numbers. ChillOut Festival is a unique opportunity to share stories and make connections
in a fun and family-friendly atmosphere,” she said. “Rainbow Families Council is proud to be part of a
conversation about current and new frontiers for rainbow families which draws on the diverse experiences
of parents, carers and children.”
We Are Family: Queer Families 2015 will be held at Daylesford Neighbourhood Centre, 13 Camp Street,
Daylesford VIC from 2-3:30PM. For more information or to RSVP, go to: www.vac.org.au/WeAreFamily

VAC is partnering with the Rainbow Network to host a conference aimed at improving
the health and wellbeing of lesbian, bisexual, and queer women. The forum will host a range of speakers,
including Georgie Harman (beyondblue CEO), Simon Ruth (VAC CEO), and Liam Leonard (Director of GLHV).
The event is proudly supported by beyondblue and the Commonwealth Department of Health.
Dr Ruth McNair will present a keynote address on her work with the beyondblue funded ALICE study
- a research project exploring alcohol and other drug use by lesbian, bisexual, and queer women. The
study found that over 50% of study participants had experienced mental health concerns, and just over
40% were drinking at unsafe levels. The study also found that lesbian, bisexual, and queer women were
under represented in accessing support due to a range of reasons including fear or previous experience of
discrimination in a service.
Beyondblue CEO Georgie Harman said lesbian, bisexual, and queer women are at a much higher risk of
mental health problems than other women. “LGBTI Australians are far more likely to be psychologically
distressed than non-LGBTI Australians, largely due to the discrimination, homophobia, and transphobia
they face, which can be devastating.”
“Bisexual women and lesbians however are even more likely to be psychologically distressed than bisexual
and gay men, which reflects the higher prevalence of depression and anxiety among women generally,”
she said. “No-one should be made to feel like crap just for being who they are. That’s why it’s so important
that people get the support they need and why beyondblue is proud to support this event.”
VAC CEO Simon Ruth added, “Continuing to target the specific service needs within LGBTI communities is
paramount. Our hope is that this conference allows us to give the needs of women in these communities
the attention and careful consideration necessary to offer the best possible response through our services.”
A panel of speakers including Tarn Thompson (QLife), Nadia Gavin (Harm Reduction Victoria), Wendy
Brokenshire (VAC), and Ren Greyson (YSAS) will apply best practice considerations to a hypothetical case
scenario. In addition to the panel, an afternoon series of workshops will be held.
The event will be MC’d by comedian Kelly Parry.
The event will be held on Friday 27 March at the Jasper Hotel, 489 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne and is free
to attend. RSVP is essential.
For more information or to register please visit: www.vac.org.au/WomensConference

Following the success at Melbourne’s Midsumma Carnival, VAC’s PRONTO! service
will be heading out to Daylesford to offer free rapid HIV testing to regional and rural Victorians during the
upcoming ChillOut Festival’s Carnival Day on Sunday 8 March.
In the lead up to AIDS 2014, PRONTO! began offering outreach testing sessions in venues frequented by
gay and other men who have sex with men (MSM) in and around Melbourne. This effort to make rapid
HIV testing even more accessible proved so successful that the outreach sessions were also introduced
at Midsumma Festival’s Carnival on Sunday 18 January 2015. During Midsumma Carnival, all available
testing sessions on the day were quickly booked out with a overflow directed to book online at PRONTO!’s
website.
“The high demand to use to the PRONTO! service at these events has been a clear reflection that the
community is keen to take advantage of these opportunties,” said VAC CEO, Simon Ruth. “We also hope
that PRONTO!’s presence at these events encourages more open discussions about sexual health screening
and helps to de-stigmatise getting tested.”
ChillOut Carnival attendees will be able to access available testing sessions at PRONTO!’s Carnival stall.
Then, the on-site PRONTO! van offers a secure and confidential space to then have the quick finger-prick
test to know your HIV status in a matter of minutes.
VAC Director of Services, Kent Burgess hopes making PRONTO! available in Daylesford is embraced as
much in a regional setting as it has been around Melbourne.
“We hope that PRONTO! being at ChillOut Festival will encourage regional and rural Victorians to get
tested,” he said. “Knowing your status is the best way to ensure your ongoing sexual health and wellbeing
as well as look after the people you’re hooking up with.”
For more information on the PRONTO! service or to book an appointment at the PRONTO! site in Fitzroy,
go to: pronto.org.au

With the rates of syphilis on the rise nationally, including Victoria, the Victorian AIDS
Council (VAC) has collaborated with a local Australian animator, Michael Cusack, to release Wayne & Kevin
- an animated short that illustrates the symptoms of syphilis and the importance of regular sexual health
screenings for gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM) to maintain their sexual health and
wellbeing.
With a steady rise in the diagnosis rates of syphilis in Victoria over the last five years, this latest health
promotion message aims to clear up some of the misconceptions about syphilis. The symptoms of
syphilis are often mistaken for other things, and some cases of syphilis are asymptomatic. Syphilis is
highly contagious, and if left untreated, can damage the body’s internal organs and even lead to fatal
consequences in the long term. Regular sexual health testing is the only way to really know one’s sexual
health status.
“The earlier a person recognises their symptoms, the sooner they can be treated, and the less likely the
infection will be transmitted,” said Melbourne Sexual Health Centre Director, Prof Christopher K Fairley.
“Syphilis is a real concern for gay men and other MSM in Victoria. We’ve created ‘Wayne & Kevin’ to not
only raise awareness of the issues surrounding syphilis but to break down some of the stigma attached
with sexual health testing,” said VAC CEO Simon Ruth. “It’s a down-to-earth approach that uses realistic
language.”
Within hours of being posted on social media, the clip has had hundreds of views with positive feedback
across Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. The clip can be viewed at: bit.ly/WayneKevin
For more information on syphilis, head to: www.thedramadownunder.info/bugs/syphilis

The Victorian AIDS Council (VAC) will once again be partnering with the Centre for Social
Research in Health (CSRH) & The Kirby Institute, UNSW to conduct the Melbourne Gay Community Periodic
Survey. Kicking off on Sunday 18 January at Midsumma Festival’s Carnival, the survey will continue to be
conducted at participating venues and clinics until Sunday 25 January. Now in its 17th year, the Melbourne
Gay Community Periodic Survey annually provides a snapshot of the lives of gay and other men who have
sex with men (MSM) in the Melbourne area.
Starting in Melbourne in 1998, the survey looks at the sexual practices of MSM in relation to the transmission
of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV. This annual survey allows for comparisons over
time and notes changes in sexual practices including: partnering habits, HIV & other STI testing rates as
well as drug use. The Periodic Survey is conducted in other states during respective LGBTIQ community
festivals - allowing for interstate comparisons. The data collected goes on to inform both state and national
health promotion campaigns as well as education strategies.
The Melbourne Gay Community Periodic Survey seeks MSM who have been homosexually active in the
last five years to participate. MSM who do not live in Melbourne but regularly participate in the Melbourne
gay community are welcome to fill out a survey as well. The anonymous survey takes approximately 6-8
minutes to complete.
“It only takes minutes to complete the survey, so drop by our tent at the Midsumma Carnival to say hello,”
said State Coordinator Tex McKenzie. “We will be in venues and clinics during the following week as well.
Look out for our recruiters. Your support in completing the survey makes a difference and helps to guide
the direction of HIV/AIDS and STI health promotion strategies here in Victoria.”
As an anonymous survey, feedback and findings will be provided through LGBTIQ media outlets as well as
through public meetings and seminars, online reports issued by the National Centres and journal articles.

During Midsumma, Melbourne’s annual three-week queer cultural festival, VAC is
partnering with the City of Melbourne to host a one-night event that uses the “hypothetical” panel
discussion format once made famous by Geoffrey Robertson on the ABC. With a panel including Australian
Human Rights Commissioner Tim Wilson, media personalities Judith Lucy and Adam Richard as well as
a line up of community leaders and health specialists, the event will be held at Melbourne Town Hall
on Tuesday 20 January at 7PM and will be moderated by Rob Moodie, Professor of Public Health at The
University of Melbourne.
“A hypothetical is such a effective way of getting meaningful insights from a panel of experts and leaders.
It surprises me that we don’t see it used more often,” said VAC CEO Simon Ruth. “The Geoffrey Robertson’s
Hypothetical episode ‘Does Dracula Have AIDS?’ from 1986 changed health policy overnight. VAC hasn’t
hosted a hypothetical since 2000, so it’s certainly time to introduce a new generation of the community
to this type of event.”
The hypothetical format explores social issues using a fabricated narrative as a framework for panelists to
discuss the considerations and possible ramifications for the characters involved - often with themselves
being woven into the storyline by the moderator. Professor Rob Moodie will be moderating VAC’s upcoming
hypothetical. Moodie was the inaugural Director of Country Support for UNAIDS in Geneva from 1995-98,
CEO of VicHealth from 1998-2007, chaired the National Preventative Health Taskforce from 2008-2011 and
was a member of the Commission on AIDS in the Pacific.
Rob Moodie says the audience can expect, “a set of compelling and important issues at the heart the
hypothetical which will be unearthed by a group of opinionated, smart and funny panellists in a format
that will make Geoffrey Robertson proud! I just didn’t want to miss it.”
Entitled MJ Loves Tina, Charlie’s Chasing Harry, the upcoming hypothetical will explore the social issues
surrounding drug use within the gender, sex and sexually diverse communities here in Melbourne and
Sydney. Panelists for the event include:
• Australian Human Rights Commissioner, Tim Wilson
• Judith Lucy
• Adam Richard
• Assoc Prof Edwina Wright
• ACON CEO Nicolas Parkhill
• Assoc Prof Nadine Ezard
• Living Positive Victoria Executive Officer Brent Allan
• Jez Pez
• JOY 94.9 Presenter Dean Beck
• Steven Spencer
This event is free to attend, but spaces are limited. To register for the event, go to:
midsumma.org.au/event/mj-loves-tina

In an ongoing effort to promote quick and convenient HIV & STI testing, the Victorian
AIDS Council (VAC) has partnered with Mr Australasia Bear 2014, Erin O’Neill, to release an online clip
promoting the PRONTO! service in Fitzroy.
Since opening in August 2013, PRONTO! has offered free rapid HIV testing to over two thousand men who
have sex with men (MSM). In 2014, the service started offering free syphilis testing as well as outreach
testing sessions in local Melbourne venues in the lead up to the AIDS 2014 conference in July. In order
to continue to engage the communities it serves, PRONTO! is working with community leaders like Mr
Australasia Bear 2014 to encourage MSM to look after their own sexual health and well-being by making
HIV & STI testing a regular part of their lives.
Erin O’Neill said, “It’s a great service that I’ve used. And PRONTO! lines up nicely with what we’re trying to
do at Vic Bears with BearHart. BearHart is the health and resources team at VicBears. Its goal is to facilitate
health promotion within the bear community. I know that there’s lots of people in the bear community
that don’t know about the PRONTO! service, so I’m happy to do my part and promote it.”
VAC CEO Simon Ruth added, “By building relationships with community leaders like Erin, we’re hoping to
incorporate the PRONTO! service into the lives of the bear community. We want quick and convenient
HIV & STI testing to be a normal part of their routine as well as the routines of all gay men and MSM in
Victoria.”
As part of this initiative for community engagement, the PRONTO! site is offering its Fitzroy site as a
community space for local groups to host events and meetings. Interested groups should contact PRONTO!
Team Leader Craig Burgess at (03) 9416 2889.
To view the clip “Visiting PRONTO! with Mr Australasia Bear” go to: bit.ly/PRONTObear