The Informer

If Labor wins the next federal election Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has committed $53 million to step up the fight against HIV.

The commitment will include $3.6 million a year to support all states and territories in offering pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to another 17,500 Australians until it is listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and subsidised.

It will also provide $10 million a year to renew Australia’s HIV response by restoring the funding and capacity that the current government has cut from HIV organisations, including the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations and Scarlet Alliance.

The funding package will also allocate $3 million a year to target ‘hidden populations’, including people that aren’t diagnosed with or currently being treated for HIV, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

But when it comes to PrEP, that could all change if it is listed on the PBS at the end of this week. Michael Whelan from PrEP Access NOW joins Dean on The Informer to look at the current state of play with the PrEP trials around the country, and if this is a promise that we can truly take to the bank.

The current government has cut almost $1 billion from health promotion, undermining the community-led response to HIV in Australia with more than 1,000 Australians still diagnosed with HIV every year, Labours commitment comes as part of the national push to end new HIV infections by 2020.

This segment appeared on The Informer on JOY 94.9 on 11th December 2017.

Since May this year there 8 cases have been identified across Melbourne of meningococcal, almost all in gay and bisexual men. From Monday 11th December 2017,  gay and bisexual men in Victoria can receive a free meningococcal vaccination following an outbreak of the deadly disease.

Meningococcal is a serious bacterial infection that can cause rapid, serious illness which can be fatal for 10% of infected people.  Anyone who feels suddenly unwell with fevers, rash, headache or light sensitivity, muscle aches and pains should seek urgent medical attention.

In a statement on Friday, Acting Chief Health Officer of Victoria Dr Brett Sutton, urged men who have sex with men to get themselves vaccinated to reduce the spread of the disease, with free vaccines available for gay and bisexual men from December 11th until June 30th 2018 and joined us on The Informer.

Men who have close or intimate contact with other men should get protected against this potentially deadly disease. Those in relationships or meeting online or through apps, bars, clubs or parties are all at risk

The infection can lead to meningitis and sepsis, which can be deadly in up to 10 per cent of cases, and about 20 per cent of people who survive the disease are left with a permanent disability, such as brain damage or the loss of fingers, toes or limbs.

People with higher risk are encouraged to be vaccinated as soon as possible.

This includes:

People living with HIV

People who have had their spleen removed

People on immunosuppressive drugs

And people with decreased immune function or stem cell transplant

Symptoms of invasive meningococcal disease in older children and adults can include:

fever

headache

loss of appetite

neck stiffness

discomfort when looking at bright lights (photophobia)

nausea and/or vomiting

diarrhoea

aching or sore muscles

painful or swollen joints

difficulty walking

general malaise

moaning, unintelligible speech

drowsiness

confusion

collapse

rash of red or purple pinprick spots or larger bruises.

If you are concerned that you are suffering from any of these symptoms, go and see your GP, and get yourself vaccinated to protect yourself.

This segment aired on The Informer on JOY 94.9 on 11th December 2017.

In case you didn’t hear, same sex couples can now legally marry in Australia, with the first same-sex couples registering their intent to marry this past weekend with same sex marriages starting from January 9th 2018.

In this episode of The Informer we find out what it was like the morning after Marriage Equal was legalised in Australia. Under the new marriage equality laws, previously gendered marriage forms have changed to be inclusive of all genders.

 

We touch base with couples who awoke Saturday morning to find their marriage legally recognised here in Australia and find out how that felt, as well as talk to some couples planning to cement their union now that it is legal.

With the Labor government promising that if they win the next federal election, $53 million will be committed to step up the fight against HIV. We find out how valid that offer is. $3.6 million a year will  support all states and territories in offering pre-exposure prophylaxis until it is listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and subsidised, Michael Whealan from PrEP Access Now joins us to discuss the realities of this.

But first up on the episode, we are talking about the free meningococcal vaccinations that are available from today for men who have sex with men in Victoria to stave off a meningococcal outbreak that could be on the horizon.

Since May this year there 8 cases have been identified across Melbourne of meningacoccal, almost all in gay and bisexual men. Starting fro 11th December 2017, gay and bisexual men in Victoria can receive a free meningococcal vaccination following an outbreak of the deadly disease.

If you are concerned that you are suffering from any of these symptoms, go and see your GP, and get yourself vaccinated to protect yourself.

This episode of The Informer on JOY 94.9 was hosted by Dean Arcuri.

It happened today, on the 7th December 2017 Parliament has passed the bill for same sex marriage to finally become law in Australia.

There was  a standing ovation in Parliament and 25 minutes later  The Informer went to air.

For the past 13 years, Equal Love Melbourne has been on the ground fighting for our equal rights in Victoria. Less than an hour after the historic announcement was made, we spoke to Campaign Manager Anthony Wallace about what it means to finally have what you have fought so hard for, and where to from here.

This segment aired on The Informer on JOY 94.9 on 7th December 2017

It happened today, on the 7th December 2017 Parliament has passed the bill for same sex marriage to finally become law in Australia.

There was  a standing ovation in Parliament and 25 minutes later  The Informer went to air.

 

We broke down the day in Parliament with Rod Swift, former JOY political correspondent and volounteer, electoral expert and former greens candidate.

This segment of The Informer aired on JOY 94.9 on 7th December 2017

It happened today, on the 7th December 2017 Parliament has passed the bill for same sex marriage to finally become law in Australia.

There was  a standing ovation in Parliament and 25 minutes later  The Informer went to air.

While the Prime Minister is patting himself and his party on the back for getting this done, we put the call out to the LGBTI community to have their say in a segment we call ‘Dear Malcolm’.

While this is a day for celebration, we have spent a lot of time hearing from members of parliament who want this done saying they want to move on, but for our communities it is not about moving on, but moving forward.

The damage that the postal vote, which we not only didn’t ask for but fought to stop, will be felt for years to come. So before you pat yourself on the back, perhaps you could hear from the community who have fought so hard to get equal rights.

Thank you to all the individuals who have lent their voice to this piece.

This segment of The Informer aired on JOY 94.9 on 7th December 2017

 

It happened today, on the 7th December 2017 Parliament passed a bill for same sex marriage to finally become law in Australia.

There was  a standing ovation in Parliament and 25 minutes later this episode of The Informer went to air.

We break down the day in Australian Parliament  with Rod Smith, as people around the nation were glued to their computers and tvs all week  as so many MP’s wanted to have their say on the amendments to Dean Smith’s Private Members Bill regarding definitions and religious freedoms.

While the Prime Minister is patting himself and his party on the back for getting this done, we hear from the community and remind him that the process they have chosen caused further damage to our marginalised community and that is not something to celebrate.

We touch in with Anthony Wallace from Equal Love Melbourne as well as with Brett who proposed to his partner last month…. well it is his fiance now!

Dean & Matthew hosted this episode of The Informer on JOY 94.9

On this episode of The Informer we talk to disabled members of our LGBTI Community to find out what life is like for them.

How do they see the community? Does the community see them?

What struggles do they face? What are the common misconceptions?

Dan, Cait and Darcy host this special panel discussion and are joined by special guests Ayman Barbaresco, Grant John-Paul Maynard and Kirrily Hayward.

On this episode of The Informer we look at the new global standards for business aimed at tackling LGBTIA rights and discrimination were launched in Melbourne today any the United Nations.

At the launch Ian speaks with prominent UN Human rights advocates Kate Gilmore and Fabrice Houdart, former High Court Judge Michael Kirby and President of ACON Dr Justin Koonin to find out what role global businesses have to support their LGTBI employees and speak out and act in the countries in which they operate.

This segment aired on The Informer on JOY 94.9 on 5th December 2017.

Between the 16 October to 14 November, independent think-tank The Australia Institute and the LGBTI National Health Alliance ran a questionnaire as part of a study to assess the effect of the Postal Survey on the LGBTIA community and its allies.

The study examines associations between exposure to negative messages, stress, coping and psychological distress.  Over nine and a half thousand people responded, with 75% of them identifying as LGBTIAQ+ and 25% identifying as friends, family and other supporters.

The primary results from the survey were released today and Ebony Bennett, the deputy Director of the Australia Institute comes on The Informer to discuss the results.

This segment aired on The Informer on JOY 94.9 on 5th December 2017.