HIV sample retests are negative

Hutt Valley Health, the main health authority using the inaccurate HIV test, confirmed last week that all retested blood had provided negative results.

Hutt Valley Health retested all blood samples since July last year when they began using the HIV test which has since found to be inaccurate.

Jury finds gay basher not guilty

Express Newspaper reported that a jury in the Napier High Court acquitted a man accused of attempted murder on the basis that he acted in self defence. The accussed Hastings man Tai Tahi Marsters told police that he hit Jim Curtis over the head with a glass decanter after Curtis stripped, stood in the doorway masturbating and asked if he wanted "some fun". The two men had gone to Curtis' flat after meeting on a beach, 'well-known' as a gay beat.

The defence argued that the defendant acted out of fear. Another reason the case the defendant may have been acquitted was because Curtis did appear in court. He didn't appear because his doctor said he was unfit and he can't remember anything.

In the express editorial Claire Gummer asked why this case had passed everyone by - not just the straights and most mainstream media but also gays and lesbians who, more than anyone else, should be angry.

Hero 96 financial position

The 1996 Hero festival provisional financial figures show that it just broke even. The main reason the festival did not make money was due the continuing decline in the attendance at the Hero party where numbers were down to 3866 from last years 4130.

Part of this decline can be attributed to the success of the Hero Parade and the number of other options available to people after the parade.

However a number of community groups did benefit from the festival with an estimated $20,000 to $30,000 going to groups like Auckland Community AIDS Services through Hero related events and services like parade donation collections and coat checks.

BEACONS OF HOPE

The 13th annual Beacons of Hope ceremony will take place in Wellington on Sunday May 19 (rain day May 20). Beacons is a commemorative event, with the capacity for those attending to both mourn for and celebrate the lives of those we have lost to Aids.

Project directors for 1996 Beacons of Hope are community activist Rachael Rachael, event co-ordinator Suze Keith and Devotion '96 artistic director Clinton Perkins. They say, "We hope to make Beacons of Hope widely accessible. We are organising a multicultural event which will incorporate the Beacons ceremony, a candlelight procession, song, dance, speakers, prayers and remembrance."

Gay TV and Radio

Television

Express Report every Monday 10pm on ATV, Capital City, Coast to Coast, Southern and CTV.

Shortland St, TV2, Monday to Friday 7pm.

And The Band Played On, Sky TV, Tuesday April 16, Midday, Wednesday April 24, 4:40pm

Radio

Regular gay and lesbian shows

Auckland - G & T Show, 810AM Access Radio, Thursday 7 to 8am
Auckland - This Way Out, 810AM Access Radio, Saturday 11:40am
Auckland - In The Pink, 95BFM Student Radio, Sunday 8 to 9pm
Auckland - Girls Own Show, 95BFM Student Radio, Sunday 7 to 8pm
Hamilton - Different Strokes, Contact 89FM, Sunday 6 to 8pm
Wellington - Gay BC, 783AM Access Radio, Gay BC, Saturdays 11:15 - 12:15
Wellington - Reading Lesbian Writers, 783AM Access Radio,Saturdays, 1.00 - 1.15
Wellington - Lesbian Radio Programme, 783AM Access Radio,Sundays, 10 - 11 am
Wellington - Boy Trouble, 89FM Student Radio, Sunday 6-7pm
Top of the South - Dyke FM, 99.4FM Fresh FM, Sunday 10am
Top of the South - Gaytime FM, 99.4FM Fresh FM, Sunday 11am
Christchurch - RDU 98.3FM Student Radio, has no specific queer show but does have queer news, play queer artists and all the rest as part of their daily programme.
Christchurch - Outwaves, Plains, 96.9FM , Monday 8pm
Christchurch - Lesbians on Air, Plains 96.9FM Monday 9.30 - 10pm (note 9-9.30pm from 18th March)
Dunedin -Dykes on Mikes, 91FM Radio One, Tuesday 8pm
Dunedin -Tea with the Boys, 91FM Radio One, Sundays 9-10pm

Reviews

LESBIAN & GAY FAIR
(from Caren Wilton)

A scorchingly hot sunny day saw over 1000 people attend the 11th lesbian & gay fair. Held at Newtown School on March 30, the fair included 32 stalls providing everything from dental dams to lemon meringue pie to pink triangle earrings. The enthusiastic crowd was entertained by Lower Hutt line dancers the Applejacks, talented acoustic funksters Salt & Licorice and drag artist DeeZaStar in an act of high camp tragedy, among others. Jerome Vliestra, an organiser, said the fair was a great success: "We had a great day, spectacular weather and good crowds."

Events - Upcoming

Gay Switchboards and information lines

AIDS Hotline - Auckland +64-9-3580099 Toll free 0800-802-437 24 Hours
Whangarei Gay Help - +64-9-437-7620, Tuesday and Thursday 7 to 9.30pm
Auckland Gayline - +64-9-303-3584 10am to 10pm weekdays, 2pm to 10pm weekends.
Hamilton Gayline - +64-7-854-9631, Wednesday 8 to 10pm
Rotorua Gayline - +64-7-348-3598, Tuesday 7 to 9pm
Napier Gayline - +64-6-835-7482, 5pm to 8am.
Palmerston North - +64-6-358-5378 24 hour answerservice.
Wellington Switchboard - +64-4-385-0674, 7.30pm to 10pm
Wellington Lesbian Line - +64-4-389-8082 Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday 7.30 to 10pm.
Greymouth/Reefton Gayline - +64-3-768-4366, Wednesday to Friday 6 to 9pm.
Westport Gayline - +64-3-789-6027, Friday 7-8.30pm
Hokitika Gayline - +64-3-755-6270, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 7-10pm
Christchurch Gayline - +64-3-379-4796 Mondays 8-9pm, Saturday 7.30 to 10pm
Christchurch Gay Information line - +64-3-379-3990 24 hour recorded service.
Dunedin Gayline - +64-3-477-2077 24 hour recorded service. Answered on Wednesday 5.30 to 7.30pm, Friday 7.30 to 10.30pm
Dunedin Lesbian Line - +64-3-477-2077 24 hour recorded service. Answered on Tuesday 5.30 to 7.30pm

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