GL Queers building 'AIDS care not warfare' movement

Saturday, December 2, 2006 - 11:00

By Mr Rev Comrade Rowley, Sydney

Activists from Sydney-based Community Action Against Homophobia for Rainbow Rights (CAAHRR) went to Melbourne to form a queer bloc for the November 18-19 G20 protests. The bloc called for money for AIDS care not war.

Queer identifying people conducted a banner drop from a third Storey balcony opposite the state library. The large banner had four demands — free AIDS and health care not military spending, decriminalisation of sex work, same-sex queer education and an end to homophobic bigotry laws.

The bloc at helped mark the struggle to combat homophobia in the lead-up to planned APEC protests in Sydney in 2007, which queer activists will be mobilising for.

"It was a great awareness-raising exercise", said Rachel Evans, the National Union of Students' female queer officer. "It was a wake up call to the G20 from the queers to solve the AIDS crisis now. Nine out of 10 HIV sufferers don't have access to HIV drugs in South Africa. Without these drugs, HIV sufferers have a life span of two to five years."

Simon Biber, co-convenor of CAAHRR, said that "With the continued increase in the worlds AIDS epidemic CAAHRR will continue to be involved in the struggle of AIDS care to show the world we care!"

"Somehow the issue of AIDS-care talk is clinical", said Sayuri member of CAAHRR. "We can't talk about it socially because it's a bit embarrassing. You can't talk about it like you would cancer and I think we need to make it more open. The more we talk about it the more we de-stigmatise it, as the majority get it from sexually related activities ..."

Authors note: Originally published in Green Left Weekly issue 693. Originally published in Mr Rev Comrade Rowley's deadname. Community Action for Rainbow Rights has corrected its name and should not be deadnamed. Reposted here without alteration of the content and without prejudice.

GL UWS board backs down

Saturday, December 2, 2006 - 11:00

By Mr Rev Comrade Rowley, Sydney

Pressure from workers and students forced the University of Western Sydney University's Board of Trustees to review its rejection of a $250,000 SRC funding proposal on November 29. The proposal is designed to help UWSU Student Association (UWSUSA) survive federal "voluntary student unionism" (VSU) legislation and came on the back of UWSUSA having its budget slashed from $2.5 million to $450,000 for three years.

The board agreed to review its initial decision to reject paying UWSUSA receptionists. UWSU staff and students are prepared to take further action if the decision of the review committee is not favourable.

According to UWSUSA president Phil Riggs, the board "cannot justify this penny pinching given that its in the process of selling off massive areas of land for urban development at the Westmead, Campbelltown and Penrith campuses. A fraction of this massive revenue would save the jobs of UWSUSA's employees." Riggs criticised the Labor-dominated board for "using John Howard's VSU legislation as an excuse to decimate essential student services at UWSU".

"I have been here for 12 years doing a job I love, serving the students of UWSU", receptionist Rhonda Cunningham told GLW. " It will be a sad day for me and for the students if we are forced to shut our doors."

Authors note: Originally published by Green Left Weekly issue 693. Originally published in Mr Rev Comrade Rowley's dead name. Western Sydney University has corrected its name and should not be deadnamed. Western Sydney University Student Association has corrected its name and should not be deadnamed. Republished here without alteration of the content and without prejudice.