Letters to the editor – Sydney

JOINT EFFORT
Reporting of the newly launched Drama Down Under campaign — aimed at increasing HIV testing rates in gay men — focused on the fact that the campaign was released by ACON (‘STI text reminders’, SSO 1070).
However, it’s important for me to acknowledge that development of the campaign was a collaborative effort between ACON and the NSW Sexually Transmissible Infections Action group (STIGMA) which brings together clinicians, researchers, public health unit staff, community-based health promoters and, importantly, Local Health District health promoters from inner metropolitan Sydney.
STIGMA is an excellent example of the partnership approach to HIV/STIs in gay men which has characterised the NSW response for many years and is crucial to the continued effectiveness of that response.
— Geoff Honnor
Director, Community Health, ACON

NO PETS
In past years, NMG has funded GLBTI community groups through their Grants Scheme to help them build and decorate their floats.
This year, NMG stopped the Grants Scheme for community groups, and replaced it with the Parade Entrants Ticket Scheme (PETS).
PETS codes were assigned by NMG to groups when they registered their float. NMG would then allocate $10 from every Mardi Gras Party ticket sold that quotes a particular PETS code to the relevant group.
NMG said that that PETS would increase the total amount of available funds for community groups from $14,000 to $100,000.
But PETS had big problems. First, the money received by community groups depended on the number of people who quoted a PETS code when buying a Mardi Gras Party ticket. Second, at least 20 people had to quote this code before the group would see any money. Third, the money wasn’t available upfront, which meant that community groups had difficulty budgeting for their floats. Fourth, a lot of community groups are supporting people on low incomes and paying over $100 for a party ticket was not an option.
I’ve heard on the grapevine that PETS was a dismal failure, and a number of community groups received zero funds from NMG. I don’t know the reason for this. Perhaps NMG could release some figures about how much money was distributed under PETS, and to how many floats?
Our community needs financial support to build fabulous floats, and PETS obviously can’t provide this. NMG should get rid of PETS, or otherwise be clear that they won’t be funding community floats any more.
— Max

RUN, DON’T WALK
If I die today, my journey to another world began last night in the sixth row of Smoke & Mirrors. It is astounding.
A cerebral carnival that takes the heart by the hand, throws a pie in its face, rolls it in sawdust, sets it high on a trapeze swing and pushes hard. iOTA and Craig Ilott must never stop the creative genius that, like a clown car from childhood, is ceaseless in surprise, delight, and capacity.
Queenie van de Zandt’s performance is iconic, her stage craft all-encompassing. Her presence and sonority are as skilled as the magician’s sleight of hand, producing not a dove, or a duck but a tear from the eye and a wistful trail of utter yearning.
Thank you all, for your incredible talents. There is no standing ovation long enough, no applause loud enough.
Do not miss this show.
— Remedios’ kite

EUROFEVER HITS
I am so overcome with Eurotrash excitement (‘Eurovision ups the camp factor’, SSO 071), I think I need to change my undies. Idol wannabes just don’t cut it against Eurovision.
— Paul

VACCINES FOR ALL
This is discrimination against gay men in particular and men in general (‘No cancer vaccine for boys’, SSO 1071). Why is there less of a genuine public interest in protecting men from HPV-caused penile, head, neck and anal cancers? Vaccinating everyone protects everyone.
AFAO executive director Don Baxter is right to be concerned. It seems to me this decision amounts to telling gays that they can literally go die in the arse!
— Brendan

PM DESERVES AWARD
While Jim Wallace deserves to be the overall winner by a long shot (‘The GLORIAs return’, SSO 1072), I do hope Julia Gillard gets nominated for her stand against same-sex marriage — in fact, I just nominated her myself.
But given the awards are organised by a Labor MLC I don’t like the chances of Gillard being in the list of nominees.
— Rob

ARGENT INSPIRES
I wish our Prime Minister could have even half the courage of Shelley Argent (‘Argent “Expects Better” from PM’, SSO 1072), to brave the world and advocate for freedom and civil rights of all Australians.
Shelley has helped many families and continues to be an inspiration.
— Dave