Tony Hughes The NZ AIDS Foundation has a proud history of confronting the HIV/AIDS epidemic rationally, a packed gala dinner audience heard tonight. As the first keynote speaker at a function to mark 25 years since the Foundation came into existence, researcher Tony Hughes, who is the organisation's longest-serving employee, said its at times ground-breaking efforts have contributed to New Zealand having one of the the lowest prevalence levels of HIV infection in the world. Hughes acknowledged that annual numbers of locally contracted and detected infections have risen in recent years, but pointed out that this has also happened world-wide in countries with predominantly homosexual epidemics. He also noted that recently changing sexual cultures and networks, prompted by the internet, present a challenge to the Foundation But despite these changes Hughes says the Foundation's core message, that condoms and lube are the best way to avoid HIV infections, remains the only scientifically proven solution to fighting the epidemic. Michael Kirby Guest speaker Justice Michael Kirby of Australia, a noted international proponent of rational HIV prevention programmes, echoed Hughes' comments when he told the over 200 people present that the need for such empiricism is one of the lessons he has learned about HIV in the past quarter century. "We mustn't be guided by doctrine, religious beliefs or intuition," he said, "we must be guided by science... and in New Zealand and Australia we have adopted that approach and our politicians have supported that, unlike politicians and leaders in many other countries." Twenty five years of hard work by volunteers, staff, trustees and members of the Foundation were acknowledged by speakers including Foundation chair Alastair Cameron, celebrity MC Suzanne Paul and drag hostess Miss Ribena. The audience included many past chairs and past Executive Directors, staff and supporters, as well as a sprinkling of politicians and media celebrities. Entertainment for the evening, held in the Floating Pavilion on the Auckland waterfront, included glittering drag routines by Buckwheat, in Wizard of Oz-style glamour, supported by a bevy of K' Rd divas.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Saturday, 18th September 2010 - 11:03pm