The Work Is Far From Over… 

By Caleb Hawk

Amid an emerging health crisis, a group of concerned community members packed into the dining room of The Laird Hotel to form the Victorian AIDS Action Committee (VAAC) on 12 July 1983. That meeting planted the seed for what would become the first HIV/AIDS charity in Australia and now one of the largest LGBTIQ+ community-controlled health organisations in this country – Thorne Harbour Health. Forty years later, that legacy of community mobilisation lives on. The people involved back then have a wealth of wisdom to offer those of us continuing that work today. 

Recently, I have had the privilege of interviewing several of those people involved in the formative years of the community response to HIV and AIDS. They have recounted times of incredible anger, horrific loss, and unimaginable trauma. They also have spoken about incredible displays of altruism, unprecedented innovation, and formidable displays of community strength. 

Phil Carswell OAM was the inaugural VAAC President and he remembers those early community meetings.

“I just remember looking out and seeing so much talent. There were people with all sorts of professional qualifications,” he said.

“What we had in that room was talent and people whose talent could be turned and mobilised into doing something serious and deep…who willingly gave their time and talent to the organisation.”

Four Decades On…

Four decades on, the same remains true. Every day people give their time and talent to support the health and well-being of our communities. 

The landscape has changed dramatically since those times.  

HIV treatment has advanced so radically that very few people will progress to an AIDS-defining illness. Moreover, we know now that people on treatment with an undetectable viral load cannot pass on the virus. Undetectable equals untransmittable. 

Many of the models of support devised in the early years are now used to serve the broader health needs of our LGBTIQ+ communities. Our health promotion campaigns now tackle issues like family violence and alcohol and other drug use. The peer education program now includes workshops for queer women. Our clinical services have expanded to include the Equinox Gender Diverse Health Centre.

We Still Don’t Have A Vaccine Or Cure

But some things remain unchanged.

We still don’t have a vaccine or a cure for HIV. Our communities still face discrimination, inequity, and inequality. In recent months, we have seen some of the worst parts of society mobilise to threaten and attempt to wind back any progress we’ve made.  

Forty years on, the work is far from over. The gains we’ve made need to be fiercely protected, and it will take our combined talents and persistence to see it through to a brighter future. 

Caleb Hawk is the Communications Manager of Thorne Harbour Health.