In the wake of our 25th anniversary commemorations in 2010, ACON’s development as an effective and dynamic health promotion agency continues apace. The evolution of our organisation has largely been influenced by the evolving response to the HIV epidemic and we continue to adapt to meet the medical, social, cultural, economic and technological issues which impact on the people and communities we serve. Below are detailed some of the key issues our organisation will be addressing over the next few years.

Key Issues

New Biomedical Approaches to HIV Prevention

Recent successful trials of new biomedical approaches to HIV – such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PreP) (where antiretrovirals are taken by HIV negative people to prevent HIV transmission) and vaginal microbicides (where a gel containing antiretrovirals is inserted into the vagina prior to intercourse) – indicate that the future of HIV prevention looks increasingly likely to be based on a combination of biomedical as well as behavioural and structural approaches. However there is still a distance to travel before we know whether and how these very early results can and will eventually translate into prevention practice, and there are a significant number of research, ethical, medical, cost and supply challenges to be tackled. In the meantime, we will continue to promote the use of condoms and lube as the most effective method of HIV prevention.

Addressing ‘Syndemics’ and Determinants of Vulnerability to HIV

Recent international research has demonstrated that several health issues impacting on gay men and other men who have sex with men – such as social isolation, depression, and problematic alcohol and drug use – appear to increase vulnerability to HIV. These have been termed ‘syndemics’ and it is increasingly recognised that these health issues need to be addressed along with programs directly addressing HIV and STI risk if we are to have sustained success in containing HIV. We will therefore continue to focus on these issues, both in their own right and in terms of the way they interact with HIV and STI risk.

Community Pharmacies

Having HIV medicine dispensed by appropriately qualified people at selected community pharmacies on evenings and weekends - rather only during the week at hospitals - will help people balance managing their HIV with the demands of work and life. It will also reduce the chance of unplanned treatment interruptions and help people maintain good adherence. We look forward to working with relevant stakeholders over the next 12 months to improve access to treatments for people with HIV.

Rapid HIV Testing

Getting more men tested for HIV is vital to reducing HIV transmission rates. Gay men have been clear about their preference for testing that’s quick, cheap and convenient, so we’re delighted that the new National HIV Testing Policy makes provision for the long overdue introduction of rapid HIV testing. We look forward to working closely with all relevant partners to get community based rapid HIV testing up and running in NSW as soon as possible.

Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)

HPV  is a group if viruses some of which can cause cancer. In recent years, the number of cases of HPV related cancers among men has sharply increased. In particular, rates of anal cancer among MSM are appoaching the rates of cervical cancer seen in women prior to regular cervical Pap testing. Gay men are over 20 times more likely than other to develop anal cancer. The rates are twice as high for HIV positive gay men. HIV positive women are also at substantially increases risk for anal cancer when compared to women in the general population. This is a worrying trend. We will continue to advocate for access to HPV vaccination and anal cancer screening programs particularly for gay men and other MSM.

Early Intervention Programs

Prevention is always better than cure and helping people to identify health issues before they become serious is an important part of health promotion practice. However, funding from state and federal governments for early intervention programs is limited across the healthcare spectrum. While we were grateful to receive funding this year for a mental health literacy training program, we will continue to advocate in concert with other health care providers to increase funding for early intervention programs.

Brothel Licensing Authority

The NSW Government is planning to introduce a new licensing authority for brothels in NSW.  We believe proposals to add a centralised and costly licensing system to the existing local council registration process will potentially push many brothels back into the black market and wipe away the health and safety gains made over the last two decades. Similar licensing systems in Queensland and Victoria have restricted access by health workers to sex workers, especially the most vulnerable, such as migrant sex workers. Protecting the health and dignity of sex workers is a challenging and long term job. So far, the evidence is that NSW has done better than almost anywhere else in the world. We need to protect this investment and will be continuing to make representations to government on this issue.

Aged Care

With more and more openly GLBT seniors needing specialised care and support, it’s important that service providers offer a welcoming, comfortable and inclusive environment for GLBTI people, their family and friends. In response, we’re increasing our commitment to working with aged care providers to create appropriate services. This includes developing a model that would allow us to provide home-based personal care and social support services for members of our community.

Lesbian Health

The lack of inclusion of lesbians and same sex attracted women in many policy frameworks and funding streams, coupled with very limited specific research on lesbians, presents a significant barrier to the development of our health promotion programs specifically for lesbians and same sex attracted women. Therefore we will continue to seek an increased commitment from state and federal governments for inclusion of lesbians in research and policy so the health needs of women in our communities are better understood and able to be addressed effectively.

Change of Government in NSW

Following the state election in March this year, we welcomed a new Liberal-National Coalition government in NSW. We were pleased that the Coalition response to our pre-election survey showed them to be broadly supportive of the GLBT community and people affected by HIV. ACON and our partner agencies look forward to working with the O’Farrell Government over the next three years to sustain our shared success in addressing HIV/AIDS in NSW and to building an effective response to the health needs of GLBT communities.

More info

Contact: ACON's Adocacy Team
Tel: (02) 9206 2000
Free Call: 1800 063 060
Hearing Impaired: (02) 9283 2088
Email: advocacy@acon.org.au

For information regarding your personal situtation and changes to social security payments or benefits:

Contact: The Welfare Rights Network

Tel: 1800 226 028 or (02) 9211 5300.

Web: The Welfare Rights Network