WA AIDS Council Protest 2018
Editor's Note: This protest did get some short term bandaid solutions and the reinstatement of the Coffee Van for the AIDS Candlelight Memorial, however, the root problem is that there is an entrenched Gravy Train culture in which the few and WAAC staff use the organisation to serve themselves.
They have created a toxic culture that means anyone new turning up gets treated like shit using passive aggression or what look like humiliation rituals that seem designed to make positive people choose to stay away, thus making sure there are no competitions for resources or real elections for Peer Leadership Elections.
Decisions are made by small groups that all hate each other off camera but are allied to the dominant faction in charge and because the Status Quo serves the interests of the Staff and People in charge then there is never anyone in a position of power who is willing and able to get rid of the toxic nasty culture.
The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence who attended this Protest included, Mother Gretta Amyletta of the Holy Vapours, Media Annuncio and Senior Sister, Sr Mary-Jane Singleton of the Divine Green Weed & the Late Sister Psychotica of the Holy Bitch Psychosis.
Media Release: “Make the AIDS Council Great Again” #MAGA WAAC Protest 2018
The Perth Sisters of the Order of Perpetual Indulgence are holding a Client and Members of Western Australia AIDS Council (WAAC) protest outside The AIDS Council building at 664 Murray Street West Perth at 4.30 pm - 7.30pm Monday 22 October 2018.
The Sisters will be carrying “Make the AIDS Council Great Again” placards and distributing copies of the HIV Institute of WA’s Discussion Paper on HIV Criminalisation in WA.
The protest is being held during the WAAC AGM to raising awareness about the lack of meaningful grassroots consultation with consumers on decisions that affect People Living with HIV and their families/loved ones.
The Sisters would also like to draw attention to the lack of public education and HIV awareness designed to reduce Stigma and Discrimination that is still entrenched in the Community as has been seen in the letter about Karen Phelps in the Wentworth By Election Campaign.
We are also supporting the “Stop HIV Stigma. Australian Needs a New National HIV Campaign.” which has been launched on Change.org as a response to the Wentworth Letter and The Sisters call for WAAC to reduce Stigma in our own backyard by implementing the U=U education campaign in the wider community plus strategies to reduce LGBT Domestic Violence & The Gay Meth Crisis.
WAAC has made several decisions which affect PLHIV's and has failed to consult with consumers and are failing to implement the principals of MIPA when planning strategies or reviewing policies which effect consumers in WA. The Meaningful Involvement of Positive People Principles is the International best practice industry standard endorsed by WAAC.
Medication and Consultation RE M clinic Co-payments
There was No consultation with the HIV community and/or clients when Charges for HIV Medication were imposed at Hospital Pharmacies. It was unacceptable for patients to find out about HIV charges when they went to collect their medications. There are many in the community experiencing financial hardship and this decision caused a great deal of stress and anxiety in the Community.
In the interest of transparency and Accountability to Consumers, WAAC needs to reveal whether or not they supported the decision to implement payments for HIV medications. Further, WAAC needs to reveal when the proposed fees to access Medical Care at the Gay Men’s Health Clinic will be implemented. The Sisters are calling for HIV to be included in a One Stop Shop Clinic modelled on the Melbourne Sexual Health Clinic. This will lead to reducing the stigma caused by HIV only services.
Decriminalisation of HIV in Western Australia
The Sisters support the enormous body of work which proves the Decriminalisation of HIV is an important step in the prevention of HIV transmissions. The Sisters believe HIV should be treated as just another STI and transmissions should not be dealt with by the Criminal Justice System but managed as a Mental Health Issue. In Western Australia it is unacceptable that Trans women are placed in men’s prisons.
The Sisters are concerned that WAAC’s utilisation of a student work experience program to write their long awaited discussion paper on HIV Criminalisation demonstrates a lack of commitment to the issues and their consumers. This is a complex issue and as the NGO funded to Support HIV people, WAAC needs to address this with professional legal advice.
HIV AGED Care
WAAC charges Private and Public Nursing Homes Fees to access their HIV Accreditation Training Program. The Aged Care Royal Commission has identified that release of information to consumers is a a barrier for people to plane their futures. Sisters call for WAAC to stop refusing to release of data to positive people about which Nursing Homes have completed their Training Program and we’re calling for WAAC to make a submission to the Royal Commission on Behalf of Positive People.
Change of Name
“The Sisters applaud the long overdue proposal to de-stigmatise the Name and Brand of the AIDS Council and hope this ushers in a Change of Culture and a New Era of Consultation & collaborative engagement with the Community - Make the AIDS Council Great Again”, said Mother Gretta.
Finally, The Sisters, once again, are calling for WAAC, again, to reinstate the financial support for the only HIV Grassroots Organised event The International Candlelight Memorial.
For More Information contact The Sister's Official Spokesperson on HIV, Mother Gretta at
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