There are crazy mixed messages from gay and lesbian groups and HIV organisations about the prevention of HIV, drugs, and responsibility. Australia's strategy drifts to a different direction to the US. Even organisations are scratching each other's eyes out.

In the meantime, the US gay and lesbian Health and HIV centres have sued Pfizer for promoting Viagra claiming that this in combination with Crystal Meth Amphetamines, will encourage unsafe sex practices:

http://www.gay.com/news/article.html?2007/01/22/3

Meanwhile, back at the ranch at bareback mountain, bug catchers are getting political. They now have "gifting" parties where those who are HIV negative can be given "the gift". They claim it is their right and they chase the bug deliberately. The internet makes it easier for them to meet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrmccJkfApg

In the US, their organisations claim that crystal meth = death, no questions asked. That is how they sued a huge multination drug company. In Australia, our AIDS organisations in Sydney alone receive at least 90 million dollars from tax payers, and print manuals on how to use Crystal meth "safely".

Then the AIDS council of NSW Government funded, puts their stamp of approval on sex venues, places where sex practices are a production line. Their logo is on the advertisements claiming "ACON approved". The problem is, the same venues have notice boards promoting barebacking, gifting parties and phone numbers for "bug catchers".

http://www.evolutionpublishing.com.au/sxnews/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1381&Itemid=41

What a mess. Even Dr Garrett Prestage, a lecturer at the National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research, claims that Sydney's crisis is at sub Saharan levels.

http://www.evolutionpublishing.com.au/sxnews/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1280&Itemid=41

ACON claims that lower HIV sero-conversions in tests in NSW shows their success. The truth is, people are so lazy, they are not even getting tested in the first place in Sydney. Of course they are lower.

What a mess!

Yes, Fletch, some HIV-positive people are behaving dangerously, and not just homosexuals - http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21145986-2702,00.html

You’ll note from the second SX article you quoted that that publication’s condemnation of this behaviour is costing it money. I mention this as an example of how the gay community is condemning the practices you mentioned, and working to stop them.

Your comment that “the truth is, people are so lazy, they are not even getting tested in the first place in Sydney” is completely unfounded. You have provided links relating to your other assertions, but for this there is none, with good reason. There simply is no data on which you could have based this.

The source for the information about the reduction in HIV infection rates is not ACON. As a notifiable disease, statistics on HIV/AIDS in Sydney are maintained by the NSW Department of Health.

The statistics are genuine, and the drop in HIV infections in Sydney is real (though obviously there is further to go - http://www.ssonet.com.au/display.asp?ArticleID=6132). Sydney is the only place in Australia where HIV infection rates have dropped, most likely because the work of community organisations has helped to bring this about.

Garrett Prestage’s sub-saharan line, following Paul Keating’s banana republic example, was an attempt to re-ignite some fear. Now that in Australia HIV is not often a terminal disease, there is a need to raise awareness that there are still huge costs in becoming infected.

Fortunately the government has recognised the need for another national campaign to complement community efforts, in order to reach a wider group of men who have sex with men (i.e. those who don’t necessarily identify as gay, and who have little contact with inner-city gay communities).

You can help by refraining from unfounded generalisations, and noting that the gay community is striving (with a little success) to guide the small number of irresponsible people living with HIV/AIDS.

I'm fully aware, w, that ACON NSW, a gay and lesbian "in club", does not keep figures at all. They just use figures from the centre for Epidemiology, have meetings to design conferences, conferences to discuss meetings, and in the end, they print LEAFLETS. Yeah, posters and leaflets will solve all the problems. Even if the information is shifty and useless, particularly in regards to Crystal Meth. The US has been more honest about the situation.

The figures that AIDS organisations and centres of epidemiology in Australia release are selective to say the least. How can the situation be on "sub Sahara levels" one day, and then on a really low level, an outcome of profound success the next day? There is a contraction within the same time period. Some one is telling an untruth.

It is interesting that you are so defensive about ACON.

I expect all kinds of accusations from the ACON / ALP scams : )

Your militant respect for your "experts" over responses to what other people write is interesting.

The "generalisation" that you accuse me of I did not make up myself.

As to claiming that I made up the figures: that less people are being tested these day, well, w, this is from information off the record from clinics around Sydney. It is difficult to hide figures in Sydney even when they are not disclosed. If they are not disclosed, then I can't disclose them either. We all know they are there.

The Government funding bodies even know. They just don't want to think about it.

I'm not even in the Gay community, w, and even I know.

BTW W, the comment about SX Sydney:

"You’ll note from the second SX article you quoted that that publication’s condemnation of this behaviour is costing it money".

I did hear that this publication got many threats, some death threats, and AIDS organisations pulled their advertising for a few months to punish them for telling the truth. It did cost SX money for the wrong reasons.

It makes you wonder if there really is a gay mafia. That is how ACON, and their friends in SSO, the paper that you quote, behave.

Amazing what information you find from drinking a few lattes around Sydney. I'm only observing from the side. What a stunning little war you guys have created for yourselves.

BOAZ, runner and coach are going to love this one.

“There are crazy mixed messages from gay and lesbian groups and HIV organisations about the prevention of HIV, drugs, and responsibility.”

That’s all you can expect from crazy mixed up perverts who still deny that they are entirely responsible for the disease which they have passed onto normal, if irresponsible, people.

No sympathy deserved.

Bit harsh

FLETCH... in all honesty I'm totally lost on this one.. have no idea what ur on about :) except maybe the threats bit.

I suppose in order to make a positive contribution to the thread, my advice is that we all live according to Scripture..

-Love God first
-Do for others as you would have them do 4 u..
-No premarital/extra-marital sex.
-No drug of dependance or serious mind altering nature, stimulation assistance for life in order to experience the joys it offers.

I simply cannot relate to a heavy duty discussion about Drugs and STD's.. they are not part of my life or thinking except for a cuppa and a biccy :) they do give me considerable joy.

Correction to the former statement, the Centre for Epidemiology does not collect the information of HIV results in the first instance. The results are collected from the pathology labs: in Sydney ST Vincents Pathology a Westmead and Gribbles Pathology lab, and there are other lab networks in other states.

A copy is sent to the Commonwealth Health Department. They send the results to other Government Departments.

To get a HIV test, you are bombarded with leading questionnaires as to "why" do you want this test? If they have a venepuncture nurse, they may or may not test you.

In Melbourne and Perth they have mobile testing equipment near notorious parks, back rooms, and bars. If you have a wider range of tests closer to higher risk people, than you can scientifically surmise that you will get more positive results.

The low results results are more likely to be a result of, as I said, laziness, as testing is just inaccessible to people.

Once people are HIV, well it is too late.

The concern is that HIV negative people are taking Crystal Meth, Viagra, and are ignoring the risk of a life threatening illness, as well as possible death from the lethal combination of Crystal Meth + Viagra.

Some of these people are "bug catchers" and are seroconverting deliberately.

Treating the HIV+s as "naughty children" does nothing to stop the deaths. With multi-resistant strains and treatment failure, HIV can be still terminal. Allergies to the treatments have killed some people too. So its not "just" a few pills.

With some positive people, it is not their fault. There are many stories that I have heard. Some are sad, others are enough to lose faith in humanity.

I agree with Boaz, I prefer tea, or in my case, a coffee and a biscuit, and I must say I have no interest in sex these days. It wakes the kids anyway.

I do, however, notice things going wrong.

Speaking out when stakeholders are frightened of being punished in their social quarantine is not negative and I refuse to be silenced.

For a change, I'm with Boaz on this one. Well, as far as understanding what is going on is concerned anyway, I'm not sure about his proposed "cure".

What's the story? A few years ago HIV/AIDS had spawned a massive industry, money was flying hither and yon to many and varied groups who had some position in the game. Nowadays there seems to have been a downgrading of its status (perhaps to "cottage industry?" - sorry!) as people have taken a position and moved on.

Surely as the causes are now well established, widely reported and understood, the only thing left is for people to exercise some common sense and self discipline. Is it any more difficult than that in a developed and civilized society?

I had never heard of the Sex on Premises Code of Practice, for example. Their inspections sound pretty dire:

"...there aren’t condoms in the darkroom on the bottom floor..." reported SXNews (wha'?)

An aspect that also confused me was the accusatory tone of another SXNews report.

"Prestage told the Herald. “If you are a gay man living in central Sydney, you are living with rates of HIV that are equivalent to sub-Saharan Africa.” "

...followed later by;

"Prestage... could not define the boundaries of the “inner Sydney” region he was referring to"

Blind Freddie can see that comparing the population of Lesotho with gay men in the Oxford Street area is hardly apples with apples.

But again, what is the point? Are they running out of funds and have to scare up some more dollars from the public?

My sympathies, as always, lie with the victims. But surely it is a preventable disease, in the sense that unless you are living in a totally different universe, you have known for many years how to avoid it?

Perhaps a little more detail on the point you are making, saintfletcher?

well, a few of my friends who have HIV, one had actual AIDS for a while, are doing really well.... with meds and help.

I think ACON or who ever they are are awesome... really, ACON or who ever else it is in the gay community have put Australia leagues ahead of the rest of the west in dealing with HIV... As soon as the news hit HIV was about (in the 80s was it?) Australia's gay community got it together so quick... I admire them so much...

In USA and UK there is bugger all for people who are infected.

the "gifting partys" sound fargged up tho, i must say...

The politically correct attitude as usual has sunken to new lows if this kind of "it is my right to give somone HIV or I want HIV" is encouraged...but on the whole i still think Australia has done well with HIV.

I'm glad you have picked up on some puzzling evidence Perecles. The ACON code of practice is only given to one sex on premises venue, which just so happens to give them donations and freebies.

When the sex venue advertises, they use this "ACON" code of practice stamp of approval to encourage people into believing that the place is "safer" than other competing premises. This is, of course debatable. Why a Government funded organisation should be giving stamps of approval to give sex premises commercial advantage over other's is puzzling to say the least.

And in answer to Meredith, in the wonder world of STIs and HIV, there are two arms: prevention / education, and the other arm that you mention: services for the HIV positive people. This discussion is about prevention, not the services.

The Crystal meth problem in Sydney and the Pfizer law suit in the US is really something concerning. My point is we don't have a grasp on a clear message in Sydney, and there are too many playing victim politics. To many aidsocrats playing with rubbery figures and twisting reality to squeeze as much Government funding as possible for what? Leaflets. More Posters.

There has to be a consistent message before anything they say has credibility.