Wed 11 Aug 2010 In: New Zealand Daily News View at Wayback View at NDHA
Michael Kirby Former justice of the High Court of Australia Michael Kirby will be the guest speaker at an Auckland dinner marking 25 years of the New Zealand Aids Foundation. Widely known to be an eloquent and in-demand orator, the openly-gay former judge is an outspoken gay rights advocate. He was Australia's longest serving judicial officer and has served in a multitude of international and UN positions, including the WHO Global Commission on AIDS and UNAIDS. Kirby 'came out' in Who's Who in Australia in 1999 when he named Johan van Vloten, who he has now been with for more than 40 years, as his long-term partner. In a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Sydney Gay Games in 2002 Kirby stated, "the movement for equality is unstoppable. Its message will eventually reach the four corners of the world. In the same year Liberal Senator Bill Heffernan used forged evidence to falsely accuse Kirby of using Government resources to solicit underage male prostitutes. When the Senator eventually apologised, Kirby issued the gracious response, "I accept Senator Heffernan's apology and reach out my hand in a spirit of reconciliation. I hope my ordeal will show the wrongs that hate of homosexuals can lead to." Suzanne Paul will host the 25th anniversary dinner, A Night on the Wharf, on Saturday 18 September from 6.30pm at the Viaduct Harbour's Floating Pavilion. Drag divas Buck Wheat, Tess Tickle and Venus Mantrap will perform, followed by dance band The Mermaids. Tickets are $100 each, with tables for 10 available.Click here to purchase tickets
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Wednesday, 11th August 2010 - 5:07pm