LGBTI Seniors Get “Historic” Strategy
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Xmas scene pics Australia’s leading gay and lesbian newspaper special page 15 Est. 1979 ONLINE starobserver.com.au ISSUE 1156 Friday 4 January 2013 FACEBOOK Star Observer TWITTER @star_observer Queer new year >> SCENE LGBTI Thousands of LGBTI revellers converged on the northern NSW town of Lismore on New Year’s Eve to celebrate Tropical Fruits. The festival - made up of the New Year’s Eve event, recovery and pool party - saw yet another seniors get massive turnout for 2012’s Beyond Atlantis theme. See photos from a swag of queer events from New Year’s Eve inside this week’s Star Observer. INFO: More Tropical Fruits images on page 17. “historic” strategy >> NATIONAL and deserve.” BENN DORRINGTON LGBTI Health Alliance general manager Warren Talbot told the Star Observer it was a Federal Ageing Minister Mark Butler has substantial advance for older LGBTI people. revealed the “groundbreaking” strategy to “It’s the first time the Commonwealth ensure older LGBTI people feel more safe and government has developed and released a secure in aged care services. national strategy on a LGBTI policy issue, so I The National LGBTI Ageing and Aged Care think it’s historic and groundbreaking,” he said. Strategy marks the first time the Australian “It’s not everything the Alliance members government has released a strategy specifically wanted but I think it’s a... substantial advance for addressing LGBTI health and wellbeing. LGBTI older people.” The strategy will reward LGBTI aged care Alliance chair Susan Ditter congratulated the initiatives and ensure all government-funded minister. aged care providers promote inclusion and deal “For the first time, there is now an overarching with discrimination. national framework, with guiding principles and The Ageing Department will work with the goals for the Australian government to achieve,” national rights body for older Australians to look she said. into LGBTI issues and make sure the complaints Ditter said the Alliance had been closely body, Aged Care Complaints Scheme, addresses involved with the strategy development, jointly LGBTI inclusion in pamphlets and other chairing the strategy steering committee. materials. Talbot said many aged care services had The minister said the strategy committed expressed interest in becoming financial the government to high quality, culturally members of the Alliance to show they were appropriate aged care for LGBTI people. LGBTI-friendly. “This strategy was recommended by the He said organisations, such as nursing Productivity Commission as well as groups homes, who were affiliated with the Alliance including ACON Health, the National LGBTI were “likely to be smiled upon favourably by the Health Alliance and the GLBTI Retirement Commonwealth than those who don’t”. Association,” Butler said. He said he was confident there were no “We want people to be part of the decision homophobic businesses affiliated with the making on how services are developed, we want Alliance and they were reviewing organisations people to be supported to make good decisions that applied. about the care they receive and ultimately we Talbot said the Alliance would be looking at PARTY PEOPLE: Two Tropical Fruits partygoers in Lismore. Photo: Rod Spark. want people to get the kind of care they expect developing a ‘charter of service delivery’ next year. NEWS CONTENTSNATIONAL 4 A CTORS. 40,000 STORIES. ONE OF THEM MAY BE YOURS. 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Always remembered, especially by long time partner and friend, Alan. 2 starobserver.com.au ❘ Friday 4 January 2013 NATIONAL NEWS Gay couples to be recognised Gay cruise canned >> NATIONAL >> WA BENN DORRINGTON Gay and lesbian couples in Western A seven-night cruise which was set to Australia can have their relationships shake up the party calendar in Australia registered now after a local council in next year with what had been dubbed inner-city Perth established a register last the country’s largest LGBTI “festival at month. sea” has been cancelled. The City of Vincent passed a motion Liberati, which officially launched on December 18 to create the state’s first in August, was to set sail for the South relationship register for both gay and Pacific from Sydney on October 5, 2013 straight couples. and visit the Isle of Pines and Noumea in It is based on the existing registers in New Caledonia. states such as Victoria, Tasmania and the Liberati entertainment producer ACT but is similar to the Melbourne City Spencer McLaren said people who had register. already bought tickets would be refunded. City of Vincent Mayor Alannah “Due to logistical issues beyond Star Observer understands that MacTiernan said the move was in support our control, Unity Events are sad to advertising was pulled from media of marriage equality. announce that we will be unable to outlets that were promoting the cruise Gay and Lesbian Community proceed with the sailing of Liberati in on December 19. Services WA chair Davina Morley said 2013,” he said. Organisers Unity Events were hoping the sentiment and recognition was very “We will do our best over the coming up to 2,400 gay and lesbian guests would important for LGBTI people. months to rectify these issues, with the holiday on the cruise, which had enlisted “Potentially any form of relationship aim of rescheduling Liberati to a later the likes of Trevor Ashley, DJ Pornstar recognition could have positive date of 2014. and Bob Downe, as well as singers, implications, such as proving de facto “We are very sorry for the cabaret artists, DJs, and comedians to status for medical and legal processes, inconvenience this may cause our loyal perform throughout the journey. The particularly if biological family is being customers who will of course be offered Famous Spiegeltent was also set to be discriminatory towards the same sex a full refund in the interim. brought onboard. partner,” she said. “To activate that they can simply Liberati was booked to take place on contact their travel agent with whom Royal Caribbean’s 11-deck Rhapsody of they booked.” the Seas. 25 years of celebration! 13 January − 3 February 2013 midsumma.org.au starobserver.com.au ❘ Friday 4 January 2013 3 NATIONAL NEWS MON LIVING POSITIVE Game to combat 7 VICTORIA January VIC: Living Positive Victoria will HIV be closed during the festive period until 9am, Monday, >> TECHNOLOGY January 7 2013. Details: Hooray for livingpositivevictoria.org.au A new game app that aims to help raise Hollywood awareness and funds for HIV prevention SUN MIDSUMMA has been released in Australia. 13 CARNIVAL >> TELEVISION THRED, a free-to-play endless January VIC: Midsumma Carnival will be scrolling-style game set in a 3D world, was packed full of LGBTI community Premiering on ABC TV on January created by games developer Bitmonster stalls to help mark the opening 8, Next Stop Hollywood is a six-part with the support of Coca-Cola and HIV/ day of Melbourne’s premier LGBTI behind the scenes look at LA through AIDS charity RED to raise money towards arts festival. It runs all day. Details: the eyes of six aspiring Australian lowering mother-to-child HIV infection midsumma.org.au actors. Cameras follow the talented rates to zero by the year 2015, as well as crew as they compete with the world’s raise awareness about the disease itself. sat SPORTS DAY best for coveted roles during the highly The app raises money by way of in- 19 VIC: Team Melbourne’s second competitive US TV pilot season. Dreams game purchases that improve the player’s January annual “come and try” sports are made and broken - will any of the performance, with the funds going to day will be held as part of the six make it big? charity The Global Fund to purchase Midsumma Festival from 10am- retro-antiviral drugs that can reduce a 4pm at the Victoria University INFO: Next Stop Hollywood, ABC TV, pregnant HIV-positive woman’s chances Aquatic Fitness Centre. Entry is BIG DREAMS: Aussie actors try to make the big time in Next Stop Hollywood. from 9.30pm January 8. of passing the disease onto her child by 98 free and you’ll get to see and try percent.