Aids council defunded

Robyn Marshall, Brisbane

On July 21, 70 people gathered outside the Queensland parliament to protest the defunding of the Queensland Aids Council (QuAC).

For nearly 20 years, QuAC has delivered high quality services to people with HIV/AIDS. Queensland Health now intends to move HIV support services to a church-based nursing service, St Luke's Anglican Service, based on a successful tendering process.

QuAc's extensive volunteer services will be totally lost. These included free medical transport and in-home care for people who are ill, massage treatments, vitamin co-ops and emotional support projects. The volunteer services are part of a package worth $850,000 per year provided by QuAC in addition to government funding.

People with HIV/AIDS were involved on the management board, project steering groups, as staff, as volunteers, members and as clients at QuAC. With St Luke's Nursing Service running the program, this community involvement will cease. QuAC community centres also provided a supportive social space for people suffering form AIDS, especially in regional centres.

Speeches at the rally were met with loud chants from the crowd, including "Smart state, stupid government" and "Queensland Health makes me sick". Sam Walker, Brisbane QuAC education officer, described the removal of the funding as irrational, and argued that QuAC had won its reputation as the best provider of services for people suffering from HIV/AIDS.

Coral Wynter, Socialist Alliance candidate for the federal seat of Brisbane, and Democrats Senator Andrew Bartlett also addressed the rally.

To show your support or find out how you can help, phone QuAC on (07) 3017 1777.

From Green Left Weekly, July 28, 2004.

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From GLW issue 591